Summer Nights
by CSM
Summary: AU. He never thought the little girl, he ran into when he was 10, would turn out to be the most important person in his life.
1. Ten and Eleven Years

**Title:** Summer Nights

**Author**: CSM

**Disclaime**r: I don't own Glee

**Summary**: AU. He never thought the little girl, he ran into when he was 10, would turn out to be the most important person in his life. A series of summers showing the progression of Finn and Rachel's relationship.

**AN:** As some of you may know I started this fic a while back and planned to post it in full, but 30,000 words later and I decided to break it up into chapters for each summer. Thanks to tiltingaxis and Katherine for encouraging me and helping me with this fic :)

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><p><strong>Summer Nights<strong>

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><p><strong><strong>

_i._

He is 10 when his Mom finally lets him go to one of those "going away" summer camps. He feels like such a big kid, packing his bag and being away from his mom for the first time _ever_. The camp was five hours away and he gets to take a bus with the other kids and everything.

His mom cries when he leaves, as he sits on the bus, gazing out the window and to wave at her. One of the older kids laugh, and he tries to discreetly hide his stray tear as he watches her figure slowly dwindle on in the distance. He is not a baby, he keeps reminding himself, ignoring the heavy weight on his chest. He is a big kid, 10 years old and getting to go off for a whole _two _months without his mom. He wasn't some puny kindergartener crying for his Mommy. So he sucks it up and gets sucked into all the camp songs the camp counsellors make them sing to pass time.

He's sharing a cabin with six other boys. He gets stuck on the top bunk 'cause the other boys got to it before he could. The kid below him, his name is Sam Evans and he's almost a foot taller than Finn. In fact _all_ the boys in his cabin were taller and _bigger_ than he is. He's tiny for his age, a scrawny skinny boy with messy dark brown hair, but his mom tells him not to worry. He'll get big and tall, just like his dad was before he died.

The camp has various teams according to gender and age and he along with the other boys in his cabin and the one in Cabin 4F are part of the Blue Dragons. They along with the girls team, he thinks they call them their sister team, the Pink Flamingos do everything together. And today they are playing tag football, boys vs. girls, and he was the last one in the shower 'cause the other boys think just because they are bigger than him, that means they can push him around and so he ends up getting the last shift in the shower _again._ He's running through one of the dirt paths behind the camp counsellors' cabins, tugging his Blue Dragons team shirt over his head, when he collides with something soft. A small scream follows as he and the person go tumbling down.

"Oh I'm sorry!" Finn says as he rubs his chest where he collided with said person.

He looks across to see a girl no older than him, dressed in matching uniform like he is, white sneakers and khaki pants, but instead of the Blue Dragons shirt like his, she's wearing a Pink Flamingo's team shirt and right on the centre of her shirt is a large dirt stain. When Finn looks at her face, he sees her lower lip tremble, her eyes beginning to fill with tears as she holds one of her knees to her chest. Finn winces when he sees a small trickle of blood slowly making its way down her knee.

"It hurts!" She sobs out clutching her knee, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry! I didn't see you!" Finn says, panicked, inching closer to her to look at the cut, "I have band aids back in my room. I can get it for you?"

The girl bobs her head, tears still rolling down her cheeks as one of her pigtails fall limply over her shoulder, some of it already coming out of the rubber band at the end, "Okay."

"I'll be right back." Finn promises

He runs to his cabin as quickly as possible, yanking open the door and making a bee line for his suitcase, grabbing the little first aid kit his mom packed for him and tugging the box of Finding Nemo band aids, leaving the open bag on Sam's messy bed. He reaches back to the girl in record time and drops in front of her, taking the tail end of his shirt to wipe the blood off gently.

"Sorry," he apologizes, wincing as she whimpers. He then holds ups two band aids for her, "Nemo or Dory?"

"Dory, please," she sniffles, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Finn gently eases either side of the tabs open and places the band aid on the small cut. Once he finishes smoothing out the band aid, and before he thinks about it, he leans forward and presses his lips briefly on it and then pulls back, his cheeks flaming, "All better. That's what my mom always does."

The girl nods, smiling brightly, "My daddy too, and then he gives me chocolate."

Finn giggles. "My mom only gives me ice cream when it's _really_ bad. When I broke my arm last year, I got all the ice cream I wanted!"

"Oh no, did you get a cast and everything?" She asks eagerly, folding her legs in front of her, her cut all but forgotten, "My papa is a pediatrician, that's a kids doctor, and he does those _all_ the time, I never got one though. My daddy builds _huge_ buildings and stuff."

"You have _two_ dads?" Finn asks in awe, "That's so cool."

"What does your dad do?" She asks innocently.

"Oh, my dad died when I was a baby, but my mom said he fought in the Army. He had like big guns and stuff. My dad's a hero, we have like all of his medals hanging up in the living room. "

"Finn! Rachel!" A new voice calls out, and Finn looks across to see Anthony one of the junior camp counsellors running up to them,

"There you two are. We've been looking for you all over! The game's about to start!"

"I cut my knee!" The girl, _Rachel_ explains as she stands up brushing off her shorts, "And Finn was getting a bandage for me."

Finn nods as he gets up but before they could follow Anthony though, Rachel stops him and holds out her hand. Finn realizes she's too is _also_ taller than him. She smiles at him brightly "My name is Rachel Barbra Berry, nice to meet you."

Finn grins as he shakes her hand in greeting, "Finn Christopher Hudson, why are we saying our full names?"

"Well I say it because I'm going to be a star one day and _everyone_ will know my name." Rachel says confidently as the make their way towards the field. She loops her arm with Finn's and smiles down at him, "You're my new best friend."

"Okay," Finn agrees, allowing her to tug him along the trail towards the football field. He knows he should be slightly freaked out by her declaration. They aren't five, people don't just _decide_ to be friends like that, but he figures he threw her down and caused her to scrape her knee and she didn't rat him out to the counsellor. _That's_ what he calls a friend.

For the rest of the summer, he and Rachel are inseparable. The boys in his cabin tease him all the time about being friends with a girl. Dave even tells Finn, he'll get cooties 'cause all girls have that, which Finn thinks is the stupidest thing ever. Besides, Finn's been around his mom all his life and he never got that.

Rachel tells him to just ignore them and in a few years when biology kicks in they'd be in for a rude awakening and regret it all. Finn has no clue what she means by that, but he's gotten used to the fact that he's not going to understand half of what Rachel's says 'cause she's _really_ smart and Finn feels like he's just a bit smarter because he's around her all the time.

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><p><em>ii.<em>

By the next summer vacation, Finn can't wait to get back to camp and tell Rachel all about the last year and when they finally to see each other, it's like a whole year hadn't passed and everything just stayed the same.

Well not everything. He's grown a bit so now he and Rachel are the same height, and Rachel no longer has her bangs, but she still wears her little dresses or sometimes a skirt and a sweater with a little animal print on it. So basically they _are _still the same two people.

The boys still tease him relentlessly about Rachel, but this time the new boy, Sebastian calls Rachel Finn's girlfriend and he has all the other boys teasing Finn as well and tells them to shut up about it, but they a relentless in their teasing.

Rachel isn't Finn's girlfriend, Finn's neighbour, Annie, who babysits him sometimes when his mom works later, she's 15 and sometimes her boyfriend comes over when she's babysitting. Finn sees what those two get up too, when he comes downstairs for a late night snack when he's suppose to be sleeping, Annie is always kissing her boyfriend or holding his hand, once she was sitting on her boyfriends lap and well Finn ran back upstairs before he could see anything else.

He does _not_ what to do those things with Rachel, he and Rachel just hang out, he likes teaching her how to play baseball and this summer she taught him how to swim in the lake, sometimes she even sings for him and this summer she learned some of _his_ favourite songs and they sing along together. Finn doesn't think that makes her his girlfriend; that just means she's an _awesome_ best friend for learning some of his favourite songs. His favourite by far is when they sing along to Journey, Rachel got the new iPod nano for her birthday and she made an _entire_ play lists of songs for them to sing along with, and this one actually has an option to save the _lyrics_ unlike Finn's old iPod that just has songs on it so they both have songs they like and they teach other some of their favourites.

Rachel is just really awesome like that, remembering all of his favourite songs from the summer before _and_ getting new songs for him that she thinks he will like, and he loves almost all of them.

"I hate washing dishes," Finn moans as he sticks his hand into the pile or dirty dishes, wrinkling his face in disdain.

The Blue Dragons and Pink Flamingos got stuck with cleaning up the mess hall this evening and Finn pulled washing duty, but as luck would have it, Rachel also got that, seeing as the two teams mostly work in pairs. But it didn't change the fact that Finn _hated_ washing the dishes.

Rachel, who had been drying for the past 10 minutes, rolls her eyes and holds out the dishcloth. "Here lets switch, you big baby."

"Hey!" Finn says indignantly as he turns around accidently flicking soap studs at her, some of them landing right on her nose. When he sees her shocked expression, he can't help but giggle in response, "Whoops."

"_Finn!_" Rachel squeals

Before Finn realizes what she's doing Rachel scoops up some of the soap studs along with _water_ in the palm of her hands and splashes Finn with it.

"Hey! I didn't _wet _you on purpose!" Finn complains, immediately retaliating as he sticks his hand under the running faucet and _spraying_ Rachel entire face with streams of water.

She splutters in disbelief at him, her eyes wide, the small bit of soap studs on her nose all but washed away. Her hair is wet, little bits are clinging to her face and Finn is already doubling over in laughter at her facial expression. She looks like drowned rat.

"I'm going to get you!" She yells, grabbing one of the clean bowls she just dried and filling it up with water and then slowly begins to make her way towards Finn, holding the bowl high up in the air as she grins tauntingly at him

"You wouldn't!" Finn says in alarm already backing away from her, his hands going up in defence, "C'mon Rach, I'm sorry. We're gonna get in trouble if we make mess."

Finn has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling; when his words do exactly what he hopes for. Rachel stops in her tracks, after a few seconds, her shoulders slump in defeat and she walks back to the sinks emptying the bowl. If it's one thing that will always stop her is the idea of getting in trouble, Rachel _never_ likes to break the rules, so Finn's strategy works like a charm.

Rachel then holds out the dishcloth she was using to dry the dishes, "You're right and it's almost time for stories around the campfire and we're still in our uniforms.

Finn nods in agreement and walks back to the sink, taking the dishcloth from her as well as the now empty bowl and dries it quickly, resting it back on the rack of already dried dishes. They work in unison for the rest of the time while he begins to whistle the Lost Boys song from Peter Pan, he looks across at Rachel and she giggles in response, elbow deep in the dirty dishes.

"_Following the Leader. The Leader_

_Following the Leader. _

_Wherever they may go" _

She sings along and to Finn's amazement she starts making the 'dee doop' parts as well. Finn looks across at her and they both grin in exchange and continue washing and drying, Finn whistling and Rachel singing along.

"_and_ the last one!" Rachel says dramatically as she hands Finn the final cup.

Finn grins taking it from her making a big show of getting it completely dry, which causes Rachel to giggle and clap when he finally places it on the rack. He turns around about ask her to bring her iPod to campfire games, cause tonight might be storytelling for the 6 year olds and usually her and Rachel sit in the back and listen to music, but before he could open his mouth a stream of water hits him straight in the face.

"Hey!" Finn splutters out in surprise, he wipes his eyes and looks at Rachel who's grinning at him slyly.

"_Now_ we're even." She says with a smile, her cheeks red.

Finn shakes his head, the little bit of water on his face and hair splatter onto Rachel which causes her to giggle, he wipes his face in his t-shirt and grins, "You tricked..."

But he trials off when he suddenly feels Rachel lips on his, he freezes in surprise, his eyes wide and he barely registering the softness of her lips before she pulls back just as quickly, and before Finn could even blink Rachel runs out of the room, and he's still rooted in the spot not sure what just happened.

Later that evening Finn is sitting on the bleachers surrounded by some of the boys in his cabin, and there is no sign of Rachel, he's been waiting over 15 minutes, because they usually come early to get the back seats, but she's nowhere to be seen. He even stands on the bleachers hoping to catch a glimpse of her but gets yelled at by one of the junior camp counsellors before he could really look around.

The stories begin and still no sign of Rachel and Finn knows he can't go looking for her after because lights out is immediately after. So slumps in his seat hoping he'll get to talk to her tomorrow. He doesn't know what happened, or why she would do that, but he really hopes this doesn't mean he just lost his best friend nor does he hope he just got a girlfriend.

For the rest of the week Rachel totally ignores him and that pretty much gives him an answer to his question. Before he knows it, he's back on the bus home and he and Rachel have not said two words to each other. He feels so lost and confused, and usually when he does not understand something, he asks Rachel, but now he can't and just knowing that depresses him even more. So for the first time, he's not even excited to be going home to see his Mom like he usually is. He just goes to the back of the bus, slipping on his headphones, and blocking out the chatter around him, he hates the heavy feeling in his chest, when he thinks about Rachel, and he hates even more that he just doesn't understand what's going on.

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><p><em>What do you guys think?<em>

Reviews are love ;-)


	2. Twelve Years

_Wow, I was not expecting this kind of response for this fic, thank you all so much for reviewing and alerting this fic._

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><p>iii.<p>

It's their final year as campers.

Next year when they come back, they get to be junior camp counsellors, but the most exciting thing about being the oldest campers is that they get more free time and get to decide what they want to do rather than follow a strict schedule, and its going to be awesome.

He's so excited, he can't sit still on the bus. He knows things with Rachel were a little weird last summer, but he hopes that all is forgotten 'cause he misses his best friend, and he just really wants to spend time with her.

But when he gets off the bus, there is no sign of Rachel. He sighs in disappointment, but goes off to his cabin to settle in because he knows he'll see her later on at the welcoming assembly. Rachel always wants to be early for those kind of things, so they can get a proper seat, so Finn quickly throws his bags on the bottom bunk, glad that he got to it before Sam could and once his bed is made and he takes a quick shower, he runs off towards the mess hall to wait for Rachel.  
>Minutes tick by, both old and new kids start to gather in the large room, and still no sign of Rachel.<br>Finn shifts anxiously in his seat, craning his neck over the sea of people, hoping to spot the familiar brown locks and brightly coloured animal sweaters that he knows is his best friend, but there is still no sign of her. The welcoming ceremony begins, and Finn gets an uneasy feeling that she's either avoiding him still or she's not here at all.

Once they are finished and all the kids get to go off for the day before the real activities begin, Finn is about to head to the Pink Flamingos cabin when Sam calls out to him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Finn! We're going to play soccer us against the Green Monkeys in 4D."

"Finn has to go look for his girlfriend," Sebastian, another one of their roommates, teases, "She's probably going to make him braid her hair."

A few of the boys that are with Sam and Sebastian snicker at Finns expense, Finn growls in annoyance not wanting to deal with this the first day back, "She's not my girlfriend!"

"She's your old ball and chain," another boy pipes up.

Finn and everyone else looks at him in confusion, "What does that even mean?"

The boy shrugs his shoulders sheepishly, "Its what my Uncle Harry calls my aunt Kathy."

Finn rolls his eyes at that. "Look would you guys stop it already, that joke is getting old."

"Who's joking?" Sebastian scoffs, "My sister shares a cabin with Rachel and she said last summer Rachel was only talking about marrying you."

"You're lying!" Finn yells, clenching his fists as the other boys laugh around him, his face flaming. He has no clue if Sebastian is telling the truth or not, 'cause he didn't even know Sebastian had a sister at camp.

"Sebastian isn't your sister in Red Robins?" Sam asks, much to Sebastian chagrin. Finn grins in satisfaction when Sebastian stutters slightly. He walks up to the other boy, grinning at the fact that he's finally taller than him, even if it's just by an inch or so. He pokes the scrawny boy hard in the chest.  
>"Stop making up stuff about Rachel."<p>

"You defending your girlfriend Hudson?" Sebastian retaliates, the taunting smirk gracing his features once again and Finn just wants to slap it off.

"Maybe you should go look for your girlfriend, she probably needs you for dress up and you guys can pretend to get married." Another boy taunts. He's a short stout boy, with dark brown curls, a sneer gracing his features. But he's only just a bit shorter than Finn. He's dressed in a greys polo shirt with the Green Monkeys logo. Finn scowls, taking a step forward, clenching his fingers tightly and raising his hand getting ready to hit him.

"Oh ho, I think someone's mad." Sebastian taunts, and Finn whips around just about ready to kick Sebastian's butt

"Guys leave Finn alone!" Sam says, coming between the two boys. Finn looks across at his friend gratefully, that is, until Sam speaks, "He needs to get back to his girlfriend before she worries."

"She's not my GIRLFRIEND!" Finn practically screams, his face red and all the boys look at him alarm. Out of the corner of his eye, Finn can see some of the junior campers no older than 6 run away quickly.

Sebastian for his part doesn't even seem to flinch at Finn's tone and just smirks slyly at Finn, "Prove it."

"How the hell would I prove that?" Finn asks in exasperation, "I told you already."

"Come play soccer with us," Sebastian says with a smirk, and Finn knows there is more to the other boys words, "Now….and later…."

"I'm not going to prank Rachel." Finn cuts off before Sebastian can finish.

He's heard about some of the senior boys pranking the senior girls the first week of camp. Last year, the boys put kool aid in the girls shampoo bottles in their bathrooms and all the girls had pink hair for a few days. The year before that, all the girls' underwear were hung on the flagpoles outside their cabins. Rachel says the whole ritual is ridiculous and barbaric. Finn's not sure what the last word means but he does agree that it's childish, and he's not going to that to Rachel.

"Rachel is my friend." Finn stresses, "I'm not going to steal her clothes, paste her at night or anything else you have planned."

Finn watches as Sebastian narrows his eyes at him. Finn can see the wheels turning in the other boy's head. Finn's a little worried if he just made things worse for the girls by giving the boys ideas, and when he sees a few of them exchange knowing grins, he groans at his stupidity. Sebastian looks at him with a smirk.

"Fair enough." Sebastian says, much to Finn's surprise, "But you can't tell her what we have planned."

"But…"

"Finn and Rachel sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I…." Sebastian begins to sing much to Finn's horror and the other boys begin to join him as well.

"Okay fine!" Finn yells throwing up his hand in defeat, "I won't tell."

"There may be hope for you yet Hudson." Sebastian says with a smile, a smile that just makes Finn's insides turn and a bad feeling settle in the pit of his stomach. "Lets go play some ball."

Finn's shoulders slump as he follows behind the boys, the unsettling feeling in his stomach intensifying when he passes by the Pink Flamingos cabin and to his utter surprise, he sees Rachel standing on the top of the stairs her back to him, as she tugs her bright pink suitcase up the stairs. She's wearing a little purple dress with white dots all over it and her long brown hair is up in a ponytail, and Finn realizes that she probably just came and he wants to go help her, 'cause she looks like she's struggling with her suitcase. But then Sam calls out to him and Finn hurries after him, pretending not to hear Rachel's voice when she calls his name. He has no doubt Rachel turned around when Sam called his name.

He follows the boys, ignoring her calls, his stomach in knots. He doesn't know what he's doing, but he knows he does not like it at all.

He practically ignores her most of the week. Every time he sees her he turns the opposite direction. He pretends not to see her and he hates himself for doing this. But whenever he plucks up the courage to talk to her, Sebastian's taunts ring in his ears. He doesn't understand why he can't just be friends with a girl, Rachel is cool. But then he remembers the kiss and he worries if she now wants to be like boyfriend and girlfriend and he just can't do that.

So instead he avoids her for the rest of the week.

Finn is crouched at the side of the girl's cabin, playing look out while the other boys are inside the cabin. All the boys are currently putting slugs and worms in the girls' beds. Originally, they wanted to steal all the girls clothes and towels when the girls went to bathe, but Finn managed to change their minds by telling them they would all get in trouble for that one. Finn knows Sebastian wants to try and outdo the last years pink dye fiasco and with each passing minute, Finn is beginning to dislike this boy more and more, and Finn hates the fact that he's letting the slimy blond get away with it. But he knows how this boy works, he's heard stories, and Finn hates that he's even remotely afraid of what Sebastian would do. That and this camp is known for these pranks and the silent bro-code that all the seniors seem to adhere to.

Finn looks around the semi deserted area. Everyone is currently eating, seeing as the boys decided the best time to get into the girls cabin would be when the entire camp goes to the mess hall for dinner. Finn stomach growls, and he's reminded yet again why he hates this. He's starving, and yet he's sitting outside Rachel's cabin being a lookout in case any of the girls come back early.

Earlier today after their soccer game, Finn saw Rachel yet again, but this time she knows he saw her, because they were walking between two cabins, him coming back from the boys showers and her coming from volleyball 'cause she was dressed in her black shorts and Pink Flamingo t-shirt, a bright pink headband on her head. When she saw him her face lit up, but then she bit her lip and to Finn's surprise, she looked at him a little nervously. When she mentioned the kiss, he panicked and offered up a lame excuse and ran off, once again ignoring her calls.

Finn sinks down onto the floor, kicking the gravel in frustration. He hates this. He hates that he's sitting here playing freaking look out for a prank he wants no part of, but yet he's sitting here anyway, when he could be having dinner with his best friend and catching up like they always do.

Some friend he is.

Finally, after what seems like ages to Finn, the boys run down the stairs laughing hysterically. Finn scrambles to his feet, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach as the boys throw the empty buckets to the side of the stairs.

"C'mon, we have to hurry if we want to still catch dinner," one of the boys says as the other four boys follow him, none of them even giving Finn a look.

Finn starts to follow them, casting a glance at the girls' cabin one last time. He starts to think about the worms and slugs in Rachel's bright pinks sheets, and then he remembers that time last summer, when he taught Rachel how to fish and her complete disgust at worms and he just can't walk away, knowing what will greet her when she gets back to her room.

Without a second thought, Finn spins around and grabs up one of the abandoned buckets, heading for the stairs. He heads to the bottom bunk by the window, the one covered in bright white and purple sheets, adorned with pink hearts, stuffed animals thrown haphazardly over the pink quilt that is poorly thrown over the sheets. He doesn't even have to guess whether or not that this is Rachel's bunk just by the bright coloured sheets alone, but also hanging on the wall over her pillows is 'Rachel' in big gold letters, little plastic gold stars holding it up in each corner.

Finn quickly goes to her bed, pulling back her quilt, wincing when he sees that all the worms and slugs completely ruined her sheets. He grimaces in disgust as he grabs the a handful of the slimy creatures and throws them into the bucket. He's trying to figure out how he can at least change her sheets and then wash the quilt somehow. He's kicking himself for even letting those boys do this and being stupid enough to let them walk all over him. He just hates that he cares so much what they think.

He's almost finished cleaning Rachel's bed when he hears the door open. Finn freezes in shock , closing his eyes and wishing that he was suddenly invisible or the earth would just swallow him whole. He's a dead man. The girls are going to report him.

But then a soft, familiar voice calls out his name and he doesn't know if to be grateful or ashamed that it's Rachel who catches him.

"Finn?" She calls out again. Finn can hear the strain in her voice, the broken way she says his name just makes him feel more like crap, "What are you doing?"

"I can explain," Finn says lamely, quickly throwing the worms in the bucket and watching as Rachel surveys her bed in horror. When she doesn't speak, he quickly continues, "The other boys ,they threw worms and slugs in all the girls beds as part of the senior campers pranks. I couldn't stop them, but I know how much you hate the worms and stuff, so I came back after they left to clear your bed. I was going to even make up the bed and wash the quilt somehow. I'm so sorry Rachel."

"I can't believe you would do this." Rachel says, her voice breaking and Finn can see the tears in her eyes as she picks up her stuffed hippo, examining it closely, sniffing it to make sure it did not have the same fate as her bedspread and sheets.

"I didn't. I came to get rid of it." Finn protests, but even to him his reasoning sounds lame.

"Yes but you knew about it!" Rachel points out angrily, "You knew they were going to this silly, barbaric, idiotic thing and you didn't stop them!"

"How was I suppose to stop them? It was the entire group against me," Finn counters, trying to make her understand. He came back for her 'cause he didn't want her to get hurt, how could she not get that?

"You could have told someone! One of the junior counsellors if you didn't have to tell the adults, you could have told me!" Rachel yells at him, stamping her feet in her frustration at him "But no, it's not cool to you, and those stupid boys have your stupid bro-code nonsense, and I find this entire prank thing ridiculous and I can't believe you would conform to this. You're better than that Finn!"

"Hey! Stop yelling at me!" Finn growls in anger. Angry at himself for making things get this out of hand, and at her for yelling at him. Rachel has never yelled at him before, "I wasn't the one that did this! I was doing the right thing! I didn't want you to have to see this, so I came to clean up your bed for you."

"Yes, and you would have left the other beds, knowing they are in the same state as mine. It doesn't matter that you wanted to do the right thing. The right thing would have been you reporting those idiots that did this. I knew you hanging out with that Sebastian boy was going to be a bad idea. All week you've been avoiding me, and I thought it was because of what happened last summer, but now I realize it's those stupid boys, and it's clear that your friendship with them is more important than ours so-"

"Rachel that's not-"

"Just go, Finn," Rachel says, her voice breaking as she turns her back to him and begins to gather her sheets, pulling them over her bed, signalling the end of the conversation.

Finn doesn't even know what to say to her. He's never seen Rachel react like this before. He's never seen her so angry at him before, and he's at a loss at how to fix this. So instead, he gives her one final look before he grabs the bucket standing by the entrance of the room, watching as she wipes away her tears, sniffling as she cleans up the mess he helped create. And as he turns around and walks away, that feeling in his stomach he had from earlier increases tenfold and he feels like the worst person in the world.

Finn thinks he just lost his best friend, and he hates that it's entirely his fault.

After the incident in Rachel's cabin, things are tense between the two of them. Last summer after Rachel kissed him, she avoided him. This summer, she just ignores him and pretends he's not there or that she doesn't see him.

Instead, Finn spends his days with the boys from his cabin. He avoids any kind of contact with Sebastian, blaming the other boy for his broken relationship with Rachel. He instead hangs out mostly with Sam and Mike, and yeah, it's nice to have someone to play football or soccer with and talk about video games and other things. But Finn misses his singing sessions with Rachel, swimming by the lake and lying on the dock by the lake late at night, watching the stars. Rachel knows all the constellations. Finn just really misses her.

The whole summer passes without them saying one word to each other.

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><p><em>Did I mention there would be angst?<em>

Reviews are love ;)


	3. Thirteen Years

_Thank You for the reviews_

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><p>iv.<p>

Finn stands uncomfortably in the back of the room with all the other camp counsellors, as a few of the adults in charge brief everyone about the summer activities and rules. It's the first day of camp and he can't even bring himself to be excited about because _this_; him standing in the back of the room leaning against the wall, trying to blend in, which is proving to be a difficult task, seeing as he is now towering well over all the girls and most of the boys his age; this not how his first year as junior camp counsellor is supposed to be. He and Rachel had plans, they were going to use their new found freedom to their advantage, explore the area more, stay out later, go to the lake whenever they wanted without supervision. But instead he's standing at the back of the room _staring_ at Rachel since she walked in with a group of girls from her Cabin.

At first he is a little taken back at how _different _she looks, granted he knows it's been a year since he's seen her, and he too has grown, maybe not his overall size but he has shot up like beanstalk, like his Mom likes to say. Rachel has grown as well, she's wearing her usual 'welcome back to camp' dress, the white and pink flowing dress, but this time with a black ribbon around her waist, but this time Finn notices how she fills out the dress a little bit more than usual, he can see the curve of her butt, below the black ribbon, it also hikes up her dress and he can see just the barest hint of the back of her bare thighs. Rachel's thighs have _never_ fascinated him like this before; he missed the entire introduction speech because he was busy looking at the small bit of her thighs and wondering if they were as smooth as they look.

Finn shakes his head, his cheeks flaming, not believing her just thought that about his _best_...he can't believe he just thought that about _Rachel_. He turns his attention back to the speaker, when suddenly a familiar laugh catches his attention, his eyes wander automatically to where Rachel is and he can't help but smile when he sees her laughing. She cut her long brown locks so her slightly wavy hair is just grazing her shoulders and Finn is taken back at how _pretty_ she looks.

Finn is brought out his thoughts by someone, one of the senior counsellors calling out his name. He stands up straight a few of the kids around him, giggling at the fact he was clearly daydreaming, he looks at the counsellor, Andre, he thinks, but the boy just rolls his eyes in response, "Your partner Hudson."

"What?" Finn asks in confusion, as far as he knows the junior counsellors never worked in pairs.

"It's okay we know each other." A familiar voice calls out pleasantly, Finn turns and sure enough he sees Rachel staring back at him, but despite her tone her eyes are hard as she stares at him, "I'm your partner for the summer."

Finn's chest tightens at her words, and not at the prospect of spending most of his time with her but at the steel look in her eyes.

Finn knows it's going to be a _long _summer.

"So it's clear that those Neanderthals you call friends have rubbed off on you and you couldn't even be bothered to put in a _little_ effort to listen to the speeches today." Rachel says a scowl on her face as she walks up to him, Finn is a little taken back at how _short_ she is, but that doesn't make her any less intimidating.

"Hey, I was listening." Finn lies, "I just zoned out for a bit, you know I can't focus for long sometimes."

Rachel rolls her eyes at his comment, and Finn isn't even surprised that she picked up on the lie, even though they have not spoken well over two years, Rachel can still read him like a book. Finn's pretty sure he can do the same, and even if he couldn't, a blind person could see how annoyed she is right now.

"You had that glazed over look since the beginning of the assembly. You could have least _pretended_ to care."

"You were watching me?" Finn asks playfully, then freezes not knowing _where_ that came from, he looks down at Rachel to see the barest hint of a blush on her cheeks before her eyes harden as she looks up at him.

"It's kind of hard to miss that bored look on your face." Rachel retorts dryly, "No one is forcing you to be here. I'm surprised you're even here unlike some of your other brainless friends."

Finn eyebrows knit in confusion at her harsh words, "What's your problem?"

"My problem is you and your stupid friends seem to think you're too big for any of this and being a counsellor is just a way to slack off and have fun when its hard work and watching and leading these kids it's not some kind of joke!" Rachel snaps angrily her nose flaring and her hands on her hips as she glares up at him

"I never said it was!" Finn barks back, getting tired of her attitude, "What the hell is your problem Rachel? You know me, you know I would not slack off when I'm supposed to be working. I would have never _volunteered_ to come back as a counsellor if I didn't want to."

He watches as Rachel's defensive stature slowly deflates and her shoulders slump, "You're right. I'm sorry. Here, these are our schedules for the rest of the summer; I took one for you,"

"Thanks." He says as he takes the sheet of papers from her watching as she mutters about seeing him later as she turns around and walk out of the room not even allowing him to say more.

It's going to be a very long summer.

As he expected their first day as counsellors goes anything less than perfect, they are running the arts and craft area for the morning and their first group are a group of 6 year olds. Other that discussing the plan for the first few hours and asking him to reach a few of the containers at the top of one of the shelves Rachel has not spoken to him at all, in fact she's pretty much only spoken to him when she needs to and at one time she so much as asked one of the little boys to ask him. Finn doesn't understand the cold shoulder attitude at all; he was expecting her to be short with him at least, seeing as she almost bit off his head the previous day.

Finn is beginning to learn that girls can be very confusing.

They work in relative silence throughout the day attending to the kids and only speaking when necessary, it sucks, but Finn thinks this is probably better than her yelling at him all the time, Rachel is kind of scary when she yells.

"Finn! You need to watch them and stop looking at the clock!" Rachel's voice rings out angrily.

So much for hoping that she would not yell at him, Finn looks down and gasps when he sees Lexie, one of the 6 year olds in Purple Dolphins, now dipping her finger in the white glue and raising it to her mouth. Finn quickly grabs the little girl's hand, "Oh. Hey, that's not to eat. I know it kind of looks like marshmallow fluff but Ms. Amber is going to carry you guys for lunch in a little while."

"But it smells like bubble gum!" The little girl protests, "I wanna see if it tastes like it too."

Finn frowns holding up the jar to his nose, and sure enough the thing smells like bubble gum, why on earth would they make kids' glue smell like bubble gum? Finn doesn't blame the kid, he knows he would have done the same, hell even now the smell has Finn wondering.

"Trust me, these things will only make your tummy hurt and you'll miss out on the awesome food later." Finn says wrinkling his nose in disdain before sending her a knowing smile.

"You tasted it?" The little girl asks in awe.

"Not this one but I liked the smell of my paints." Finn confesses, "Not good at all."

The little girl giggles as he makes a face in emphasise his point, before she runs off to join her friends on another table.

"Why doesn't it surprise me that you would eat paint?"

Finn turns around to see Rachel leaning against the table smiling slightly at him, he watches her warily as she continues much to his surprise, "You were that kid that learned everything by touching it right? You did tell me that fishing hooks were as sharp as they looked because you nicked your thumb on one to see."

"And you were the girl that learned everything from looking it up in an encyclopaedia." Finn retorts, but on seeing Rachel's crest fallen expression he regrets his words.

She's about to walk off again but Finn grabs her wrist before she could turn away, "Sorry."

Rachel nods, Finn's thumb slowly brushing against the inside of her wrist as they look at each other, she looks up at him, her eyes soft, "I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday, and just now."

"Well I was not paying attention." Finn says sheepishly, as he releases her wrist and not bothering to point out that he was thinking about her _again_, "But yesterday..."

"Yea I'm sorry about yelling at you yesterday mostly. I was out of line." Rachel apologizes, her eyes downcast as she fiddles with the tail of her white polo shirt that all the junior counsellors wear.

Finn sighs, "Is this how things are going to be from now on?"

Rachel shrugs her shoulders as she looks up at him, "I don't want it to be. I miss..."

"Ms. Rachel!" A loud voice calls out interrupting them and both Finn and Rachel turn to see one of the girls covered in red paint almost close to tears.

"Oh Annie. It's okay." Rachel says soothingly as she immediately goes to the little girl, "Let's go get you cleaned up."

Finn watches as they go off and turns to the other handful of kids and he is glad they all seemed to be back at their own projects. Finn and Rachel are only 13 so the camp usually gives the junior counsellors 5 or 6 kids to watch at a time and in pairs and ever so often one of the adults or senior counsellors would check in.

Once he's sure everyone is okay, Finn sits on one of the stools, his mind going to his and Rachel's conversation, he hopes that she was going to say she misses him, because he misses her too and he hates that this is what they have come to. He just wants his best friend back.

But they end up getting so caught up in all the projects and classes they are assigned the whole day goes by before they get to speak. Finns walking from the buffet with his food look for a seat when she sees Rachel sitting in the corner her iPod on her desk as she eats by herself. Finn frowns in confusion and looks around to see her two friends Mercedes and Sasha sitting at the table and giggling as always.

"Hey." He greets as he slips into the seat opposite her, "How come you aren't with your friends?"

Rachel frowns as she looks across at where he's pointing, "They aren't my friends."

"What?" Finn asks in confused as he goes to open his bottle of juice, "But you were hanging out with them earlier this week."

Rachel shrugs uncomfortably her eyes now trained on her mash potatoes, "They don't like me very much, and I was only standing next to them to look like I was with someone at the meeting."

Finn frowns at her words, "What? Why would anyone not like you? You're awesome."

Rachel smiles sadly at him, and Finn feels his heart tighten at the sadness in her eyes, "Why not ask your friend Sebastian? Oh wait he's not here. Is that why you started back speaking to me?"

Finn eyes wide at the turn in conversation, but instead of the usual snark he expected in her words, her tone is just broken and her eyes are still down cast. Finn sighs, the guilt of his actions from the previous summer once again resurfacing. He pulls the fork out of Rachel's hand and then squeezes her fingers.

"I'm speaking to you because I want to. I'm sorry I was an ass last summer." Finn says sheepishly watching as Rachel's eyes widen.

"Finn language!" She reprimands but does not pull her hands out of his, "Go on."

Finn smiles slightly, of course, she would not make this easy on him, not that he didn't deserve that."I'm sorry about the prank, ignoring you all summer. I'm the worst friend ever. I should have never let those stupid guys get to me. I was stupid and I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me, I just really miss my best friend."

By the time he's finished he frowns when he sees tears rolling down her cheeks, "Oh crap, I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry Rach. Damn it, why can't I do anything right?"

But suddenly Rachel is out of her seat and tackles him into a hug sobbing into his shoulder. Finn looks around the mess hall grateful that they are in the corner and only a few people are even looking in their direction as he pats Rachel's back awkwardly.

"I'm so sorry too." Rachel says as she pulls back moving to sit next to him on the bench seat, "I'm sorry I called you petulant silly boy who can't make decisions for himself and lets other dictate what he does."

Finn gaped at her in surprise at which she shrugs sheepishly, "I was really angry at you okay? But I really missed you too."

"I missed you too Rach." Finn says softly, and before he knows what he's doing he's taking his thumb and gently wiping away the stray tear from her cheeks.

His cheeks redden as Rachel smiles at him shyly holding out her hand much to his surprise, "Friends?"

"_Best_ friends." He corrects shaking her hand, but then tugs her to him and hugs her tightly, he breathes in deeply and is over come by the smell of vanilla almonds and something he will later associate with being distinctly Rachel.

He pulls back and Rachel goes back to her side of the table, both of them exchanging shy smiles throughout their dinner.

Finn doesn't understand why he suddenly has that feeling of butterflies in his stomach when Rachel looks across the table and smiles at him.

After their talk that day it was as though a switch had been flipped and they are back to being Rachel and Finn best friends, it was as though the last summer never happened and they are just as close as before. But this time, this time around Finn finds himself, staring at Rachel a little longer than normal, noticing things he never noticed before and he's acutely aware to her proximity when they spend the first night out on the dock at the lake looking at the stars. Rachel brought hot coco and they share a thermos as they lay back on the wood, shoulder to shoulder hip to... well Finn's stomach in this case and they watch listen to the crickets and look for shooting stars.

Another time they are back running the arts and craft room and one time Finn catches Rachel stretching for a container on the top shelf and instead of going to help her, he stands watching her as her polo shirt slowly rises up and there is the barest hint of tanned flesh between her shirt and her jeans shorts. Finn licks his lips involuntarily his body heating up as he thinks about what it would be like to run his hand along her skin, to squeeze her butt in those jeans.

Finn shakes his head free of those thoughts, his cheeks flaming as he gets the now familiar feeling of his pants tightening, something he soon realizes only happens whenever he's around Rachel. He looks around the room cautiously glad that the kids are too busy to notice him staring at Rachel or more importantly what's going on with his body. He's not stupid he knows what is happening, his best friend at home, Puck talks about sex _all_ the time, so he's not completely in the dark with what's happening to his body, he's just surprised that he's reacting so strongly to _Rachel_.

She's his best friend he's not supposed to look at her like that. He's not supposed to have _those_ kind of thoughts about her. He growls in frustration at his body, thinking about what Rachel would do if she ever found out, and how disgusted she would be at him and, the thought of the sheer embarrassment he would feel, alone cools him down. He shakes his head and walks up behind her easily reaching the blue container and handing it to her. She looks up at him her cheeks red, in what he assumes is embarrassment, he doesn't understand why though, it's not her fault the shelf was too high, it's nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Thank you." She says softly taking the container from her, "I remember when I use to be taller than you."

Finn chuckles, "Everyone seemed to be taller than me back then."

"Yea now you're really tall and handsome." Rachel says, but then her eyes widen in horror and she turns around heading to one of the tables without a word.

Rachel thinks he's _handsome. _Finn feels his cheeks heat up as he makes his way to another table to stop a fight over a glitter bottle before glitter gets all over the place. He takes a chance glance at Rachel to see she's busy showing a little boy how put his hand print on the paper, she suddenly looks up in his direction and Finn looks away quickly not wanting to be a caught staring at her.

He wonders now if he should tell her how pretty _she_ looks, that he likes the way she smells or the fact that her hair is always so shiny. She has it in two pigtails today, one on either side of her face the ends just barely touching her shoulder and Finn just wants to tug one and tell her how cute she looks, but then catches himself and realize he sounds like a _girl_. Rachel knows she's pretty he doesn't have to tell her that.

He looks across at her again just in time to see _her_ look away. He kind of hates that his heart races at the thought that she was looking at _him_ and he wonders briefly how long she was looking at him before he noticed, and if she's ever done it before, kind of like he's been doing all summer.

The second time they go star gazing, one hot summer night which is much longer after the first time, which is rare for them because it's usually a weekly thing for them. It's been raining steadily most nights for the last two weeks and _finally_ there is a night where there isn't a cloud in the sky, and once Finn notices he quickly grabs one of the old beach mats that's underneath is bed. Did he mention that junior counsellors have their own beds? It's only three of them to a room as opposed to six when he was a camper. He grabs his pillow as well for something they could use to rest their heads on and he runs off to Rachel's room.

He stands by the window that he knows over looks her bed and grins when he realizes that he doesn't even have to tiptoe to see inside, he can see right in the room and he smiles when he sees Rachel sitting on her bed dresses in her grey t-shirt with red hearts scattered all over and matching shorts and her hair hanging loosely around her face, a book on her lap and earphones in her hears. He taps lightly on the window and grins when Rachel jumps and her eyes widen in surprise, she looks at him and glares.

"What?" she hisses out, glancing around her room where her other two roommates are sound asleep, each of their beds encased in darkness.

Finn grins not at all deterred by her tone, and holds up the beach mat, "Wanna go watch the stars?"

He doesn't have to ask twice, she grins in agreement and scampers off her bed and a few seconds later she comes out with a Pink Flamingo hoodie over her shirt, iPod in her hand, and flip-flops on her feet. He grins at her entire outfit and can't help himself, "You look cute."

Rachel's cheeks immediately pink up at his compliment, as she looks away shyly, "Thank you, it's too hot for my usual pjs. Nice shirt."

Finn looks down at his Power Rangers t-shirt and grins, "Best show _ever_."

Rachel just giggles in response as they head off towards the lake, even though they are allowed out at this time, they do have a curfew which is in about an hour's time. When they get to the dock at the lake, the wind is blowing and Rachel has to zip up her hoodie all the way as Finn lays out the mat and the both lie down sharing the pillow. Their heads barely touching, as the stretch out, Rachel's toes just barely touching Finn's calf.

"See the Big Dipper?" Rachel asks quietly pointing in the sky.

"Yea and that right next to it is the Little Dipper right?" Finn asks point just off where she is pointing too, "ooh and those three in a row there that's the Ryan's belt right?"

"Orion's belt." Rachel clarifies, as she turns her body to face his slightly as she looks at him "Yea I'm surprised you remembered."

"We use to do this all the time." Finn says with a shrug, looking across at her "I miss it."

"Me too." Rachel says with a smile as she lies back on the pillow.

When Finn feels her finger tips just barely brush against his own, he doesn't really think about it, before he slips his fingers through her own, and he smiles when she squeezes back.

They continue to lay in silence waiting for a shooting star or on occasion Rachel would point out a constellation, their hands still entwined. Until Rachel spots a group of clouds slowly coming from the north and she sits up with a sigh, glancing at her watch, "We should probably head back."

Finn grabs her wrist and looks at the time, they have just under 15 minutes to return back to camp, "Yea and we don't want to get caught in the rain."

They quickly gather their stuff and start heading back, picking up the pace when they hear thunder in the distance. But, just as they reach to camp the clouds open up and it begins to pour, Rachel squeals in surprise and grabs Finn's hand tightly as they run to the nearest shelter which just happens to be the stairs of her cabin.

Rachel turns on her heels and smiles at him shyly, a rain drop running down her nose, "I had fun tonight."

Finn smiles and swipes his thumb over her nose to catch the rain drop, "Me too."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Finn." Rachel says her voice soft, the sound of the rain hitting against roof almost drowning her words, as she looks up at him and smiles.

He smiles shyly at her, leaning forward and he's just about to press his lips to hers, when the sound of thunder clapping jolts him out of his thoughts and he pulls back, his heart thumping against his chest as he sees her eyes wide in surprise.

"I should go before there's lightening." He says softly, and she only nods in agreement.

He quickly runs to his cabin, stopping at the top of the stairs to look across at her cabin just in time to see her open the door and walk in, and he growls in frustration not believing he almost kissed her. He almost kissed _Rachel_ his best friend. What has he thinking?

The next day neither of them bring up the almost kiss, much like the all but forgotten kiss they shared two years ago.

Things are the same as always, although Finn finds himself gazing at Rachel much longer than normal, and sometimes he would even find her gazing at _him_. But neither of them bring it up. He notices a lot things about Rachel he never did before, like the fact that she has such a cute laugh, now he goes out of his way to make her laugh. She loves to sing, and she's told him a million times she plans on moving out to New York when she finishes high school and go on Broadway. When he asks her why she doesn't just move to LA (She lives in San Diego, which Finn knows is on the same coast as LA) but she says the camera is not for her, she wants to be on a stage. Finn loves that she dreams so big, he lives in Lima, Ohio, small town, he's pretty sure Lima is as far as he goes.

His mom is a baker, well baker sounds like she makes breads, but she makes these hugs cakes and pastries, it's pretty cool and Finn gets to taste them, and well he's pretty sure he's got to help his mom with the bakery when he gets older, maybe learn to bake like her.

On the last night of camp, Finn and Rachel are suppose to be listening to the annual campfire stories and games that takes place on the last night, but instead they are sitting in the back on the highest seats of the bleachers talking about the final year of middle school.

"It's going to be so weird, after this we'll be in high school." Rachel says quietly, leaning her head against his shoulder as she spoke, her fingers making small circles on the palm of his hand, not that he minds, "There will be hundreds of new students I won't even know, from all over the city."

"Well we only have one school in our district so everyone knows everyone." Finn says with a shrug, "The only new kids would be like transfers and that hardly ever happens. I'm hoping to join the football team freshman year."

"Oh you'll be great!" Rachel says brightly, as she sits up to face him, "Promise me, you'll bring one of your football shirts for me?"

Finn looks at her confused, "But you don't even like football or go to McKinely."

Rachel shrugs sheepishly her cheeks pink, something Finn notices happens a lot when he's with her, "Yea but it would be your first football team and I obviously can't come to your games, so you know I thought if I had one it would be like I was there in spirit."

Finn chuckles in response, not bothering to tease her about that, "Okay, two years from now I'll bring my football t-shirt for you. But you have to put it on and let me put the Titans T on your face, oh and my number and take a picture. So when I am at my game I can take it with me for luck."

"Deal!" Rachel says with a grin,

"You can be my own cheerleader." He says with a grin, but then falters when he sees Rachel's frown, "You don't like cheerleaders?"

Rachel wrinkles her nose, "No, my middle school has a cheerleading team and those girls are just really mean,"

Finn frowns but the drapes his hand over shoulder and pulling her closer to him, their faces just inches apart, "Well it's a good thing I'll only have _one_ cheerleader. So it wouldn't matter."

"I like that." Rachel says with a giggle,

She tilts her head slightly so they faces are just inches apart and she smiles at him shyly, her eyes slightly downcast. Finn places his thumb on her cheek, moving it softly against her skin, and she sighs in response. When he finally has her attention, she whispers softly, her hot breath on his lips, "You can kiss me if you want to."

"I want to."

He responds softly, just as he leans forward and presses his lips gently against hers, her lips are as soft as he remembers, he sucks on her bottom lip can feel her fingers pressed onto his knee as she sighs just before he pulls back. His cheeks red, much like her own and she grins at him shyly, before scooting closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder. He wonders if he should thank her for the kiss, but even as he thinks that he realizes how stupid that sounds, so instead he sits and watches as some of the campers act out the tale of Huckleberry Finn for the millionth time, Rachel curled up at his side, their fingers entwined.

Not a bad way to end the summer.

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><p><em>Some cute innocent finchel<em>

Reviews are love ;)


	4. Fourteen Years

_Thank You for the reviews_

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><p>v.<p>

He stands on the football field his bag strung over his back, a scowl on his face. He can't believe he got Puck to convince him to come _here_ instead of going to camp like he usually does. This is the first time since he started going to camp that he misses it, and he _hates_ that it's this summer of all summers. Things with Rachel are going good, they exchanged emails and were emailing back and forth all year, talking about their last year of middle school and more importantly what they were going to do _this_ summer. They had plans, so many plans, and _he_ was planning on officially asking Rachel out.

But instead of being on his way to camp, he's standing on a field filled with other guys his age, all signing up themselves for a summer of _hell_ just so they can be ready for football tryouts in September.

"Dude, why do you look like you haven't taken a shit in weeks?" Puck asks bumping shoulders with Finn as the walk towards the coach, a huge buff dude with short cropped hair, who is currently signing people up and yelling at some of the his current football players who are currently lounging on the benches eyeing all the new kids. Finn has no doubt they are scoping out everyone to see who they think is deserving enough to be on the team

"I told you. I did not want to come." Finn grumbles, blanching when realizes _the dude_ is actually a woman, who is almost taller than him and the most intimidating woman he's _ever_ seen.

"Wow. Is it a he or a she?" Puck whispers loudly, and a few of the guys around them snicker.

"_Dude_! Shut up." Finn hisses back, his face flaming when the coach turns around to face them, the sign-up sheet in her hands.

"You two knuckleheads think you're so _big_. You're going to high school now so you think you're the big guns, better than everyone. Well you're in for a _rude_ awakening. The only thing my freshman do is warm the benches for the _real_ players. It takes a whole lot to impress me. So I suggest if you want to play in the game next year, you stop mouthing off behind my back and start thinking of ways to _woo_ me and my players."

With that said she shoves the sign-up sheet into Finn's chest and stalks off. Finn glares at Puck, this is _so_ not what he signed up for, "Could you _not_ piss off the dude on the _first_ day?"

"Dude what are you talking about? This is perfect." Puck says excitedly as he grabs the pen and scribbles down his name under Finn's then passes off to someone else, "She knows us now, maybe not by name, but she's going to look out for us, we're on her radar. We're one step closer to being on the team!"

"Yea out for our blood, is more like it." Finn mutters.

Finn shakes his head in disbelief as he throws his bag down on the grass and then plops onto bench. He can't believe his best friend; then again he shouldn't be surprised that Puck would scheme up something like that. He's been talking for _weeks_ about getting in on the teams good side at this camp so they join the team and get automatic popularity. Finn hates that Puck makes the thing sound so appealing, cheerleads, parties, being respected by everyone when they are _only_ freshman would be perfect and make life so much easier.

Finn has heard horror stories about what the upperclassmen do to freshman and if he thought some of the wedgies in middle school was bad. What they do in high school makes that look like child's play. So it's no wonder that Puck convinced him to come to camp. But he still hates it because he was suppose to be with Rachel this summer and because _she's_ at summer camp he has no way of contacting her so he's going to go a whole three months without speaking to her. When he told her about his football plans, she was supportive about it, but he knew she was disappointed and she sent him a little e-card saying she'll miss him with a picture of her pouting at the camera.

It's the _only_ picture he has of Rachel, so he prints it out and sticks it in his wallet. If Puck were to ever see it, Finn would never hear the end of it, he's been already teasing Finn about having a penpal, because Finn talks to Rachel all the time, and calls Rachel, Finn's summer fling. Finn hate's that word and wishes Puck would stop calling her that. Puck doesn't even _know_ Rachel.

"Dude, tell me you're still not thinking about that chick at camp." Puck says exasperated as they move to the centre of the field to begin warm ups.

"She's not some chick." Finn snaps.

"Look all I'm saying is you see her what two/three months out of the year? You haven't even kissed her with _tongue_. Which dude, is totally pansy ass by the way. _And_ she lives like on the opposite side of the world."

"She's from San Diego." Finn says with a roll of his eyes as he begins to follow the coach, who introduces herself as Coach _Bieste. _It's almost scary how appropriate her name is.

"Might as well be all the way in China." Puck retorts, "Look nothing wrong with having a little summer fling, but you aren't going to see her again till next year, and sending little love notes by email is just lame and not going to give you any points in school next year."

Finn looks across at him in confusion, not knowing what his relationship with Rachel has anything to do with his status at school next year. Puck on seeing Finn's expression rolls his eyes and grabs Finn by the shoulder turning him to face the opposite side of the field, and Finn eyes wide when he sees a group of cheerleads, some of the girls dressed in the read cheerleaders uniform and some in regular workout clothes much like Finn and Puck. It's clear that they too have cheerleading camp for the very same reason. Finn watches mesmerized as some of the girls throw a girl in the air, her little red skirt flying up and he has to bite his lip from groaning at the sight of the girl's tight red spanks.

"Dude, stop drooling." Puck says with a laugh, "And no one needs to see your no hand salute."

Finn narrows his eyes at Puck, who looks down at Finn's crotch pointedly and Finn growls, his face flaming in embarrassment as he pulls down his shirt more than necessary, "Shut up. And that makes no sense."

"You got what I meant didn't you?"

"Whatever." Finn retorts angrily, making sure none of the guys heard or notice them, once he realizes everyone is beginning the drills, he quickly falls in line, his eyes wandering ever so often to the group of girls practicing a few yards away.

"Look all I'm saying is have your little summer fling, whatever rocks your boat. But in September you're going to have to set your eyes on _those_ girls if you expect to get _anyway_ on the social ladder," Puck says between reps.

"But I like Rachel." Finn says, not believing what Puck is suggesting.

"And you can have Rachel all you want, in _summer. B_ut if you want to have some kind of reputation in high school and be on the football team you have to get good with one of _those_ girls. Trust me, even if we get on the team we won't be playing a game till sophomore year. In the mean time _those_ girls are your ticket to a slushie free freshman year."

"And like you said, Rachel doesn't go to McKinely. What she doesn't know won't hurt her. It's a win-win for you cause you still get the girl _and_ your reputation at McKinely is intact." Puck says as though it's the easiest thing in the world.

Finn sighs as he falls in line to start jogging around the perimeter of the field lost in thought, even if Puck is right that Rachel would not find out unless _he_, Finn, tells her. But at the same time Finn doesn't _want_ other girls and it doesn't seem right for him to go after some girl just for his reputation when there is another girl on his mind. It's not fair to either girl and he doesn't know if he can be that kind of guy.

As the weeks move on Finn forgets about his social dilemma and focuses on the football and he soon realizes how much he enjoys playing the sport and what's even better is the fact that Coach Bieste is actually taking notice of him so much so she tells him that her star quarterback graduated this past year and she's looking for a new one.

Finn is so floored by that he starts pushing himself even harder at camp and working out more at home, his mom jokes that he'll soon eat them out with the rate at which he starts to consume food. He wants to email Rachel his good news, but then he realizes she won't get it till the end of the summer so he decides to hold off until he knows she'll be able to respond.

One day after practice Finn is busy packing away his stuff and waiting for his mom to come for him when Puck slides onto the bench next to him a grin on his face. By the look on his best friend's face alone, Finn knows he's not going to like what the other boy has planned at all.

"So word on the street is Santana Lopez parents are out of town and she's having a party for the cheerleaders and football players. It's going to be insane, a perfect way to get our faces out there, and well drunken cheerleaders are always a bonus."

Finn frowns, not sure if he likes the idea of going to a party with alcohol and who knows what else. He's only 14 and if his mom found out she'd _kill_ him. "I don't even know who that _is_."

Puck rolls his eyes, "Its a party Hudson, no one cares who the person is once there is booze and drunken chicks. But since you're such a pansy, I'll find out for you, are you going to need your Mommy to call her parents and make sure it's okay for you to go?"

"Fuck off," Finn growls shoving Puck off the bench.

Puck laughs wholeheartedly at Finn's expense and continues to tease him mercilessly for the rest of the time while they wait of Finn's mom to pick them up.

A few days later Finn finds himself in some unknown girl's living room, packed full with people that Finn has never seen in his life. He walks to the snack table to get himself a drink, seeing as Puck has all but abandoned him for some Latina girl, hours ago. Finn takes a handful of peanuts, popping them into his mouth as he looks around the room with a mixture of amazement and apprehension of what he got himself into. This is his first high school party ever and he's still undecided if it's for him. There are kids dancing drunkenly in the middle of the room, some on the coffee table, others sitting on any available surface making out. There is one blonde girl, which Finn soon realizes is the cheerleader from the first day, she's currently whipping her _bra_ around as she dances, and Finn can see her nipples pressing through her tank top, a few boys are also watching her and cheering on excitedly.

Finn gulps down some his drink, his eyes wide when he sees one of the boys tugs the girl onto his lap, his hands fondling the girl's boobs. Finn shakes his head and looks down at the bowl of pretzels with rapid fascinations, his cheeks red as he sips his drink.

"It's okay to eat them. I don't think you can spike pretzels." A warm voice calls out.

Finn turns to his left, to see a pretty blond girl, with big green eyes, wearing a simple brown dress and a red solo cup with a straw in her hand. She gestures to the bowl of pretzels when Finn looks at her in confusion, "The pretzels, you know they spike the punch all the time...so I was saying you can't spike...nevermind."

Finn grins in realization, "Oh, yea I don't like pretzels anyway."

The girl smiles and then looks around the room, "Let me guess, this isn't quite your thing?"

"What gave it away? The fact that I'm hanging out with the pretzels or I'm spending more time staring at my drink that other people around me?" Finn asks with a grin gesturing dramatically with his hand and earning a smile from the girl.

"Nope, it's the look on your face." She says thoughtfully, "That same one that I have. Did you best friend drag you here and then abandoned you for some meat head?"

"Close, _he_ abandon me for some chick with I quote 'amazing boobs.'" Finn says dryly and then he realizes he's _not_ talking to one of the guys but a _girl_, "Oh crap, sorry that was rude...I not that I think guys should only talk to girls with smaller boobs...I...I'm going to shut up now."

To his surprise the girl laughs at his blundering and shakes her head, "Its okay I get what you mean, my best friend went with some guy with a mohawk. Just because he has one, doesn't make him some bad boy, an _idiot_ for having that kind of hairstyle but _not_ a badboy."

Its Finn's turn to laugh when he realizes she's talking about _Puck_ and Finn has to agree he finds the hairstyle ridiculous but he'll never tell Puck that. He grins as she continues her rant.

"And get this, his name is _Puck_ of all things, it probably appropriate he probably _is_ a puck head. I don't know what she would see in someone like that." The girl huffs and then her cheeks pink up in embarrassment, "Oh god sorry, I just started raving like a lunatic about some guy my best friend is hooking up with, to a total stranger. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'm Finn." He holds out his hand to her smiling warmly, once she shakes it he smiles, "See, now I'm not a stranger."

The girl smiles as she shakes her hand, "I'm Quinn. Nice to meet you."

"Well Quinn, I don't know if this helps, but his name is actually _Noah_ Puckerman...he prefers Puck." Finn says grinning when the girl looks at him in horror on realization.

"The best friend?" She asks sheepishly.

"One in the same." Finn says with a laugh, "Don't worry, I know he can be an ass, but he's not that kind of guy, he won't take advantage of your friend or anything."

"Oh I know." Quinn says quietly as she spins her straw around her in cup, "I just, Santana ...she...I hate that she...never mind. I should probably go..."

Finn frowns in concern at the sudden change in her demeanour and grabs her hand, stopping her before she walks away, "You wanna get out of here and talk?"

When she looks back at him in surprise he quickly clarifies, "I'm not coming on to you or anything. You seem like you have a lot on your plate and stuff and well my best friend always says I'm a good listener."

The other girl scoffs but follows him nonetheless to the front of the house, through the sea of people, "Puck doesn't seem like one to _talk_."

Finn laughs at her remark, no doubt the truth of her statement, Puck would faster get rid of his mowhak than talk about his feelings. Finn takes a seat on the step of the patio, there is handful of people on the lawn but mostly everyone is inside where the music is blaring. Quinn takes a seat next to him, her hands folded in her lap.

"Oh no, not Puck, my other best friend. _She _isn't from around here, but she loves to talk and she says I'm a very good listener, and she should know 'cause she likes to talk a _lot_. I listen most of the time...well I listen to the important stuff. She just has a lot to say, well she's super smart so she knows a lot, but sometimes I don't really know what she's talking about so I pretend to listen. But then, I think she's like psychic or something, she just _knows_ that I didn't understand she'll explain in 'Finn-terms'. She's pretty awesome like that. "

The tips of Finn's ears redden as he trails off realizing that he just rambled on about how Rachel talks a lot. He looks across at Quinn, who surprisingly still sitting there and even smiling at him in amusement, "So, you're in love with your best friend?"

"Are you?" Finn counters boldly, looking across at her, "In love with _your_ best friend?"

He watches as the other girl tenses, and she clenches her fist at her side, she looks at him with a hard stare, "You don't know what you're talking about."

Finn backs off immediately, he doesn't know this girl and he has no right to pry into her personal business, actually he thinks with a smile; that is something _Rachel_ would do. She is rubbing off on him.

"What?" Quinn asks disgruntled, clearly interpreting Finn's expression for something else "It's not true okay! And don't go telling Puck or any of your stupid friends that I'm in love...just don't go...don't say anything."

"I won't." Finn promises, "I won't tell anyone, that you are...I won't say anything."

"Good." Quinn says defensively, "Not that there is anything to say...just don't say anything."

"I won't." Finn repeats in reassurance, watching Quinn closely, her fingers are still clenched in a fist and he doesn't know how he can help her, or why he wants to help a complete stranger in the first place.

So he does what he does best, he talks about Rachel, "I know I'm only fourteen, but I think I might be in love with her, Rachel. That's my _other_ best friend. Maybe I am too young to know what love is. But what I do know is; I like spending time with her, I like talking to her and getting to know everything about her. I like the way her hair smells after she shampoos it. I like the way she still dresses the same way since we were 10, but there is a little difference to it that makes her older. I just really like her, I don't know if that's love or whatever, but I know that I always what to be around her and wish she was here. Sorry I ramble a lot sometimes."

"About Rachel." Quinn says with a knowing smile, "I noticed. But I get it, there's just this one person, you can tell anything to, and no matter what you're doing, once you're with them everything is okay. You can be yourself around them because they just get you. They can just make your day better with just a smile."

Finn smiles in agreement watching her wistful expression, knowing exactly what she's talking about but when she frowns, and her shoulders slump in defeat at something in the distance, he turns his head and see's Puck and Santana running out from the side of house, giggling and kissing briefly ever so often. When they are just a few feet away, Finn watches as Santana stumbles to the ground and Puck quickly grabs her arm, preventing her from falling. It's clear to Finn that they are both drunk, he watches as Santana leans onto Puck, whispering something into his ear, giggling loudly, she looks across at Finn and Quinn and freezes her eyes narrowing.

Finn looks across at Quinn about to question her about that look, when suddenly he feels Quinn's lips on his. She presses her lisp firmly against his, and he tries to pull away, but she has one hand on his thigh, her fingers digging into it as her other hand grips his shirt, after a few seconds she pulls back a forced smile on her face, as she turns to Puck and Santana who are still watching them without any shame. Puck sends a thumbs up to Finn, while Santana has a unreadable expression on her face. Finn watches as she scowls at the both of them, then grips Puck by the collar, pulling him down of a heated kiss. She then whispers something in the boy's ear and by the shit-eating grin his best friend is supporting, Finn knows they are probably off to have sex or something.

He turns his attention back to Quinn, to see her wiping her eyes, furiously trying to hide her tears as she turns her head away from him. He cautiously puts his hand on her shoulder, not really sure how to deal with crying girls, with Rachel she usually just hugs him and doesn't let go until she's ready to talk. But he doesn't know Quinn, nor does he understand her relationship with Santana.

"Quinn?"

"I'm sorry, I kissed you," Quinn apologizes finally looking across at him, "I panicked...I saw them...and she...I'm sorry I know you have a girlfriend."

"It's okay." Finn reassures her squeezing her arm gently, not bothering to tell her that Rachel isn't is girlfriend, "Neither of us was expecting them to show up like that. For what it's worth, I think Santana looked like she wanted to kill me."

Quinn giggles lightly, but then groans as she hits her forehead with the palm of her hand, "I just made things so much worse."

"Rachel always says, that sometimes things need to get worse before they get better." Finn offers thoughtfully, "I never knew what she meant. But maybe this might give Santana the little push she needs to admit how she feels about you?"

"It's more complicated than that." Quinn says quietly, much to Finn's surprise. She twists the cross of her necklace around her neck nervously as she looks at him, "I...we...we both have issues. I actually have a confession to make."

"What?" Finn asks confused not sure what exactly she has to tell _him_. They only knew each other for an hour or so.

"I lied." Quinn says sheepishly looking straight ahead, refusing to meet Finn's eyes, "You're Finn Hudson. I knew who you were, that's why I talked to you in the first place."

"I don't understand."

"Everyone is talking about you, that you'll be McKinely's new quarterback next year." Quinn admits, "Someone even heard Coach Bieste saying you're a shoe-in for it. I got accepted for final tryouts for Cheerios and I thought...nevermind it's stupid...I should have never thought...it doesn't matter you have a girlfriend anyway."

"Wait, you wanted to pretend to go out with me?" Finn asks incredulously, he can't even hide the surprise in his tone if he tried, "But why? To make Santana jealous?"

"Would you shut up!" Quinn hisses, putting her hand over Finn's mouth as she looks around the front lawn, the only person within hearing distance is a boy no older that Finn sleeping soundly on the lawn curled up in ball while hugging his shoe. "Look this isn't about Santana..."

Finn gives her a look of disbelief at which she rolls her eyes and removes her hand, wiping it on her dress, "Okay fine. Whatever. But not completely, I need to be popular next year, so that in two years I can win Junior Prom Queen and that all starts back from freshman year. I need that crown more than anything...the Santana thing, no one can know about that, if my father found out...he can't find out."

Finn sees the turmoil reflecting in Quinn's broken expression and he squeezes her arm reassuringly. He might not know what she's going through personally, but Rachel has told him horror stories about her Dad, who when he came out to them, they kicked him out. Luckily, LeRoy, Rachel's other father, his family took in her Dad, Hiram. From the little bit he knows about Santana, who is currently have _sex_ with his best friend, he suspects that, Quinn would not be as lucky to have someone take her in.

He thinks about Rachel, crying into his shoulder a night as she recounted the time they went to the Grand Canyon for a family reunion and she was suppose to meet her Dad's parents, her grandparents, and they didn't even want to meet her. They wanted to have nothing to do with her or her fathers. Finn could never understand how anyone would _ever_ hate Rachel or her Dads just because of who they are.

"I'll do it." Finn says suddenly, watching as Quinn tenses and looks across at him, her eyes red, but wide in surprise, "I'll be your boyfriend."

"Finn, you don't have to do that." Quinn says softly wiping her eyes.

"I know but I want to. You can tell your dad we met at this party." Finn says, his heart heavy, as he thinks about Rachel, he knows he's doing the right thing but he can't help the guilt that is slowly consuming him.

"But you have a girlfriend, Rachel?"

Finn bites his lip as he sighs, if Quinn is being honest, he might as well do the same, "She's not my girlfriend. I want her to be, but she's not. So it won't be a problem."

"Finn...I don't know what to say." Quinn says in awe, "Thank you."

So he spends the rest of his summer more focused than ever on football camp and he continues to go to parties with Quinn, although most of the time they show their face then sneak off and catch a movie or something. By the end of the summer they are the most talked about couple at football and cheerleading camp. Quinn even told him about someone talking about Prom King and Queen, which Finn thinks is insane because they are barely even _freshman._

That's the summer that Finn found himself with his first girlfriend, one who is _not_ Rachel. Finn knows he's doing the right thing but he's just not sure if Rachel would see it like that.

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><p><em>Don't kill me.<em>

Reviews are love ;)


	5. Fifteen Years

_Thank You for the reviews. So glad so many of you enjoyed the little twist with Quinn, I was a little apprehensive of doing that, but wanted to do something different, than the usual Finn/Quinn/Puck story._

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><p>vi.<p>

He sees her before she sees him.

She's standing in the courtyard, on her tiptoes as she scans the sea of campers coming out of buses and cars, no doubt looking for him. He grins excitedly, she's wearing a little purple skirt and tank, her hair held back by a matching headband, her cheeks red from the summer heat. This is the first time he's seen her in almost two years and he realizes how much he's missed her. He has so much to tell her, things he couldn't share via email. They chatted a lot this past year via emails and IM, but it's just isn't the same as talking in person.

He had football, he made the team, star quarterback, youngest one McKinely has ever seen and that alone with keeping up with word kept him occupied and then Quinn and her dramas with Santana was just exhausting, he's just glad he finally wiped his hands of their relationship woes. Finn doesn't know what Quinn sees in Santana, the girl is a raging bitch and he's thankful he survived the first year of high school, relatively undamaged by Santana's wrath.

But on seeing Rachel standing there in the middle of the courtyard; Finn grins all his freshman woes forgotten as he runs up behind her, engulfing her small body from behind and spinning her around as she squeals in surprise. When he places her back on her feet and she turns to face him he grins, even more so when she looks up at him in shock, her jaw so much as dropping at the sight of him.

Finn grins sheepishly, he knows this year of football practice as well as another growth spurt has made him bulk up _and_ shoot up at the same time, so he's no longer the tall, scrawny 13 year old now. Now he's the tall, bulky 15 year old, and by Rachel's expression he knows it's _not_ a bad thing at all.

"Hey Rach!" He greets as he tugs her into a tight hug. He bites his lip as he feels the curve of her _breasts_ pressed against her stomach, those were certainly _not_ there the last time he saw her. He breathes in the familiar scent of vanilla almonds and just pure Rachel, the feeling of her cheek pressed against his chest comfortably.

"I missed you." Rachel says, her voice muffles from the fact that her face is still buried in his chest, her tiny arms encircling his waist and squeezing him closer to her.

They finally pull back and Rachel grins up at him, "You got taller!"

"No, maybe _you_ shrunk." He teases sticking out his tongue at her. She rolls her eyes in response and nudges him with her elbow as they begin to make their way towards his cabin.

"So, how are yo..." But he's forced to stop, when Rachel's lips are suddenly on his, they are still as soft as he remembers, and he feels her body goes slack in his arms as she deepens the kiss, her tongue probing his lips and he allows her entrance. This is the first time he's ever been kissed like this and his body is beginning to respond accordingly, so after a few more seconds he pulls back panting, looking at Rachel with hooded eyes, watching her chest heaving and her lips swollen.

"I really, really missed you." She confessed sheepishly as she takes a step back, her cheeks red and Finn doesn't know if it's because of their heated kiss or embarrassment, "I know we haven't really talked, and it's silly for me to assume. We never really talked about our feelings and I..."

Finn cuts her off his lips on hers, he knows they need to talk, he has a lot to tell her, but Finn does not want her doubting him or his feelings for anything. He cups the back of her head tugging her closer to him, sucking softly on her bottom lip, holding back a groan as he sighs into her mouth, his fingers caressing her hips. He pulls back and smiles down at her sheepishly, echoing her earlier words, "I really, really missed you too."

They had taken a short cut to get to his cabin and are currently standing between to cabins, relatively unseen, his duffle at his feet as Rachel takes his hand in hers intertwining their fingers as she smiles up at him shyly, gone was the confident girl that just kissed him moments ago and now was the nervous girl who gave him his first kiss when he was 11 years old.

He squeezes her fingers for reassurance and smiles when she takes a step forward towards him and gets on her tip toes, kissing him soundly, he moves his hands to her waist, squeezing her body to his, but then she pulls back and smiles at him shyly, "I'm so glad you didn't have football camp again. You never told me if you guys won the championship."

At the mention of football, Finn smile falters as her remembers all the mess that was his freshman year and he realizes before he and Rachel go any further, he's going to have to tell her about Quinn, Santana and the fact that, despite their constant communication via emails, he not _once_ mentioned to her that he had a fake girlfriend. With a sigh he grabs his bag and smiles down at her, "I should go unpack."

"I'll come with you." Rachel says eagerly, her cheeks pinking up, "You have to tell me all about your game and I have to tell you about my musical! I got to play Ariel in our theatre department! I didn't want to tell you by email 'cause I wanted to watch it with you! My papa taped it and I have it on my phone, since we can't bring laptops to camp."

"That's awesome Rach, but uh before we do anything. I have some things to talk to you about." Finn says uncomfortable, as they reached the steps to his cabin.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asks nervously, it's clear that she picks up on _his_ nerves, "Is it because I kissed you? I know it was presumptuous of me to do..."

He places his finger on her lips, earning a small smile in response as she trails off, "I kissed you too so that's like moo point right?"

"Moot point." Rachel corrects with a smile, "So then what's going on?"

"It's a lot of things, and I don't know how you'll look at me, once you know." Finn says truthfully the ramifications of what he did this past year, slowly sinking in."

"What does that mean?"

"Meet me at the dock in 30 minutes?" Finn asks, not bothering to wait for a response, but he places a brief kiss on her forehead and walks up the stairs quickly.

A few minutes later he walks out to the lake and smiles when he sees Rachel sitting at the end of the dock, her legs hanging over the edge as her mouth moves along to whatever song he _knows_ she's singing. He walks nervously towards her, wiping his sweaty palms on the tops of his pants, mentally preparing himself for the conversation they are about to have.

"Rach."

He calls out to her cautiously, when he's a few feet away, as to not startle her so that she doesn't slip off the dock and into the water. When they were 11, she'd been waiting on him and he decided to sneak up on her, but when he placed his hands on her shoulders she was so surprised she slid straight off the side of the dock and into the lake, without even thinking about it he jumped in after her, to save her, and they both ended up laughing at the fact that the water was only shoulder deep for the both of them. Ever since then he's made sure to announce his presence rather than take the chance again.

"Hey." She smiles brightly, but he can see that she's nervous by the way she starts twisting the chord of her earphones. She pats the space next to her though and smiles at him warmly, "Sit."

He slips off his flip-flops next to hers, grinning at the fact that his size 12 shoes are completely dwarfing her little pink flip flops, a small six encircled at the top. He takes a seat next to her, hanging his feet over the side, the both laugh when his feet hit the water with a splash, her toes just barely reaching mid calf.

"I can't believe how tall you've gotten." She says softly as she scoots closer to him so their thighs are pressed against each other, hip to knee, she brushes her bare toe against the swell of his calf, "I feel even tinier next to you now."

"I was taller than you two summers ago." Finn points out, wiggling his toes in the cold water and mesmerised by the way Rachel's toes glide against his bare skin.

"Yea, but like by a few inches; now I feel like I have to strain my neck to see you." Rachel says with a small laugh nudging him with her shoulder playfully.

"I'm sure we can figure out a way to kiss without hurting out necks." Finn says sending her a wink.

"Finn Hudson!" Rachel says almost appalled, but from the guilty look in her eyes and the way her cheeks pink up, he knows that she was thinking along the same lines as he was.

Despite the fact that he _hasn't_ told her much about Quinn or anything pertaining to that aspect of his freshman year, the one thing that they did do a _lot_ of was flirt via email. When they first started, it was clear that it was all so new to both of them, but with time, they both got comfortable, so much so that is was second nature, and Finn loves the fact that she is his first with _everything_.

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" She asks softly.

"I don't know where to start." He says truthfully, his eye still trained on their tangled legs, the water lapping at his toes.

"The beginning is always good." She offers quietly, her hand squeezing his knee in encouragement, and Finn hates himself even more for not just telling her all this from the very beginning.

"There's this girl..."

"Oh." Rachel says her voice soft and broken as she tenses, her foot untangling from his as she shifts a little away from him as she plays with the hem of her skirt nervously, "I get it, it was silly of me to think you'd wait two years for me, when we...we don't even know what we are."

"No, no _no." _Finn emphasises as he grabs her hand to get her attention, "It's not what you think...well it is, just not in the _way_ you think."

"Either there is another girl, or there isn't Finn. It's not that hard to understand." Rachel says icily yanking her hand from his grasp, "And if you think you're going to lie to me..."

"Her names Quinn." Finn says quickly sensing that Rachel is about to get up and leave, "She's in love with this other girl, her best friend."

"_Oh_." Rachel repeats, but this time more of understanding, but still a bit confused, "Okay, but where do you come in?"

"Quinn...Quinn was my girlfriend." Finn in one breath, hoping it would lessen the blow, as well as he's just glad to get it off his chest.

"I don't understand, you said she was in love with her best friend, another girl." Rachel says her voice laden with confusion.

"She is, but Quinn father is a bit of an asshole."

"Finn language!"

"Sorry, but he _is_. Quinn said if he found out, he'd kick her out of the house." Finn almost spits out angrily, thinking about Quinn's father and all the crap he put her through last month, "When she told me that, I remembered what you told me about your Dad, and I just couldn't let that happen. She and Santana have _issues_, they still do actually, and she wouldn't have anyone to turn to. So I agreed to pretend to be her boyfriend, that way her dad would get off her back about finding a suitable boyfriend."

"Oh." Rachel responds, her expression unreadable, "So, this is your way of saying that _we_ can't be together? I'm really confused Finn because you seem to be hinting that you want to, but now with this..."

"No! I mean yes..._yes_ I want to be with you." Finn says quickly, taking her hand in his again, "I broke it off with Quinn. I was tired of living the lie we were living in, she needed to stop hiding and deal with her feelings for Santana. Those two are messed up, and I was just in the middle of all their crap, half of which I don't want or _need_ to know about. But, I broke it off with her, most importantly, because of _you,_ I was lying to you and to myself. I kept convincing myself that nothing was wrong with what we were doing because all of it wasn't real, but I was lying to myself as well."

"Why didn't you just _tell_ me? We spoke for _months_ through emails and IM and not _once_ did it occur to you to tell me? We _flirted_, I shared so many of my feelings and thoughts with you. I thought you felt the same way."

"I did...I _do_." Finn implores gripping her hand, "Rachel you _know_ how much I care about you, you're my best friend..."

"Obviously, not enough, that you'd _purposely_ lie to me for _months_. Made me think that I was the only girl..." Rachel breaks as she trails off biting her lip, Finn's heart constriction at the pain in her eyes.

"You _are_ the only girl for me." Finn pleads, trying to hold onto her hand as she yanks it out of his grasp, "Rachel I lo..."

"_No!_ Do _not_ tell me that now!" Rachel says venomously as she scrabbles to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at him, "Do _not_ use _that_...that _word_ as an apology for what you did. You _lied_ to me Finn, and I...I care about you a lot, but this _thing_ between us it can't happen now. I'm sorry."

"Rachel! Wait!"

With those final words she turns on her heels and runs off, her head down in her chest as she disappears through the stone trail back to the camp, all the while ignoring his calls.

Finn's shoulders slump as he watches her retreating figure, disappear in the distance, with a sigh he goes back for his flip- flops. He takes a seat on the dock, watching as bird slowly swoops down, its beak barely grazing the water's surface before flying off, as he sighs deeply. He totally ruined everything, his need for the instant popularity winning over what he knows he should have done in the first place which was telling Rachel everything from the start.

A week goes by and Rachel still refuses to talk to him, much like that summer all those years ago, but instead of the hostility and anger she had towards him, this time its replaced with hurt and Finn hates the fact that he's hurt her so much. He tries on multiple occasions to speak to her, but she simply just walks away, his texts go unanswered.

So, he decides the best way to get Rachel to talk to him, is to speak her language, in other words through song, if there is one thing he knows about his best friend is her love for music. He's known her since she was 10 years old and her love for music is even stronger now than it was back then.

He goes through his iPhone, hopes his has an appropriate song, and learns off the lyrics. Personally, Finn loves music as well, maybe not as much as Rachel, but he's never really sung before, only when he and Rachel use to singing along to a song together, but he knows doing this for her, would definitely get her attention and she'd appreciate the effort. Or at least he hopes so.

He gets one of the girls in her cabin to send her a message and waits for her by the dock, hoping she shows up. He shifts from foot to foot anxious waiting for her and when she comes out of the clearing, dressed in her white counsellor shirt and jean shorts, looking at him apprehensively, he smiles at her nervously as she approaches.

"Hi."

"I only came to tell you to stop." Rachel says quietly, "I'm not ready to forgive you yet. So please just give me some space?"

"Wait, just hear me out then you can go?" Finn asks, sighing in relief when she stops and turns around to face him, her arms folded across her chest.

"I'm listening."

Finn nods and takes a deep breath, "So I know I messed up, and you have every reason to hate me, but I need you to understand, how sorry I am and this was the only way I could truly tell you how I feel. So just listen okay?"

"Finn, what..." Rachel starts off, but she stops midsentence when he presses play on his iPhone and the soft melody of 'The Reason by Hoobastank' starts playing from his tiny speakers. Finn clears his throat, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment as he starts to sing.

_I'm not a perfect person  
>There's many things I wish I didn't do<br>But I continue learning  
>I never meant to do those things to you<br>And so I have to say before I go  
>That I just want you to know<em>

_I've found a reason for me  
>To change who I used to be<br>A reason to start over new  
>and the reason is you<em>

He continues singing pouring his heart into all the words, watching as Rachel's face first registers complete shock and then to one of utter amazement. Her expression alone encouraging him to finish the entire song despite the fact that he's so embarrassed his ears are just as red as his cheeks. He's never sung for anyone before.

When he finishes, he sees that Rachel is crying and he wonders if he totally just fucked up even more, but then she's walking to him and smiling through her tears.

"You sang me a song." Rachel says her voice full of awe, as she wipes her eyes, "You serenaded me, standing on a dock, while holding up an iPhone."

When she puts it like that, it sounds so stupid, Finn looks at her sheepishly as he rubs his neck in embarrassment, "Yea. I know its stup..._oh!"_

He doesn't get to finish cause Rachel jumps into his arms, cutting off his apology with her lips. She wraps her arms around his neck deepening the kiss, nipping at his bottom lip before she pulls back, just enough to look at him.

"No one has ever sang a song for me, before" Rachel says slightly breathless, her voice full of amazement, "That's the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."

Finn smiles in appreciation, "So you liked it? I know I suck at singing but..."

Rachel cuts him off yet again with her lips, this kiss much shorter than the last, "I _loved_ it."

They smiles stupidly at each other for a moment, Finn's hands on her waist, Rachel's arms still around his neck, until he sobers up, "I'm really sorry, about everything."

"I know, and you were trying to do the right thing, even if you went about doing it wrong." Rachel says with a sigh as she looks up at him, "No more lies okay?"

"No more lies." Finn promises, sealing it with a kiss to her nose, at which Rachel giggles, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck.

"Can I ask you something though?" Rachel asks suddenly nervous.

"Anything."

"Did you and Quinn...what did..."

"We only kissed when we were in public." Finn says quickly already knowing what she was inquiring, "But even that wasn't much, we mostly held hands. I guess it's no wonder people figured out it was all a lie, we weren't all that convincing. I mean sure we were friends, but that was as far as it went and neither of us had ever been in a relationship before so it was all just a huge big mess. Especially when Santana, that's Quinn's best friend, called us out on it."

"So other than Quinn, I'm the only girl you ever kissed?" Rachel asks timidly.

"Yes, and you're the_ only_ girl I _want_ to kiss." Finn promises and then bends forward capturing her lips with his own.

After a few heated kisses they pull back to catch their breaths, Finn's forehead is pressed against Rachel as she breathes out deeply, her hot breath blowing over his skin, "And you're the only guy for me."

"Hey Rach?"

"Yea?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Finn asks quietly, grinning at Rachel's bright smile as she goes up on her tiptoes again and kisses him soundly. That's all the answer he needs.

That summer Finn got his first _real_ girlfriend.

Things don't really change that much for them, they still spend all their time together, but the only difference though, any opportunity to be alone was mostly spent making out, and _this_ aspect of their new relationship is what Finn enjoys the most. Now when they go stargazing, they spend their most of their time making out on the blanket, rather than actually watching the stars. Sometimes, they just exchange lazy kisses while wrapped up in each other's arms, other times they kiss heatedly till one of them has to put a stop to it, before things get out of hand.

Their first official date, well one where Finn takes Rachel out, is to see a movie. Every Friday, is movie night and on the first Friday since they officially got together, Finn asks Rachel out to the movies. The camp is showing _Up_ on the projection screens in the small park where they play most of the sports. It's almost like a drive in without the cars, which Finn thinks is so cool. Finn gets a blanket along with a few pillows and he smuggles some snacks and drinks from the mess hall. They sit and watch their first movie together as boyfriend and girlfriend, Rachel sitting in his lap. After, they take a stroll along the shores of the lake. They kiss under the moonlight and it's the best date ever.

One warm summer night, they are lying in their usual spots at the end of the dock, Finn on his back and Rachel press firmly at his side, her head resting on his chest. He's stroking her hair silently, until suddenly she's up on her knees and hovering over him, an impish smile on her face as her long brown hair curtains their faces, and she leans forward to kiss him soundly on the lips.

Finn smiles against her lips, groaning into her mouth, as she straddle his lap, pressing him further into the hard wood of the dock, but he could careless, as he places his hands on her hips, his fingers hooking onto the waistband of her jeans. His tongue grazing along the edge of her teeth, just before she allows him access.

They continue to kiss deeply, his hands roaming her back, mindful not to go to low or two high, when suddenly Rachel pulls back slight, biting her swollen lip nervously as she looks down at him. To his utter surprise she takes his hand, that's resting on we waist and slowly moves it up her stomach, and then rests it gently on her right breast.

Finn eyes widen in surprise and he looks up at her questioningly, Rachel bites her lip slightly unsure but nods her head squeezing his wrist encouraging him. He cups her small breast, squeezing it tentatively, loving the feel of it under his hand, and the way Rachel's back arches, as she releases a soft gasp at his ministrations. There may be her shirt and bra between his hand and her bare breast, but this right now is the most amazing thing Finn has ever done.

As the summer comes close to an end, just two weeks before they are to leave, they are both sitting on the top of the bleachers for their weekly game night and as always they are sitting with their feet hanging of the edge, their backs to the show itself. But instead of the usual music session they normally have, their hands are intertwined and Rachel's head is resting on Finn's shoulder as they speak in hush tones.

"I'm not ready to go back." Rachel says quietly her thumb slowly moving across his knuckles.

"We still have two weeks." Finn points out, but even to him that sounds lame, because that would never be enough time. He raises their clasps hands and presses a kiss to her knuckles, "We'll email and IM. Sam told me about this new program called Skype we can use it to call each over the internet and it won't cost anything. We can _video_ chat, so I'll still get to see you every day."

"It's not the same though." Rachel says softly, she releases a soft sigh and hooks one of her legs over his, her skirt riding up slightly, "I'm going to miss your hugs, and your kisses."

"I'm going to miss you too, babe." Finn says pressing a kiss to her forehead. Terms of endearments are a norm for them now, and Rachel _still_ blushes whenever Finn calls her babe or baby. He thinks its cute. "But the next nine months will be over before we know it and we'll be back here."

"For three months, before we have to leave again." Rachel says dejectedly.

"What's wrong Rach?" Finn asks knowing there is more to her mood than she's letting on.

"I just..." Rachel starts, but then stops she sits up and turns to face him, "Finn what's your plans after high school?"

Finn forehead wrinkles in confusion not understanding why she would ask him that, he's not even a sophomore yet, "What?"

"I just want to know if you have any plans." Rachel says her voice slightly timid, "Football? You said that went really well this year."

Finn grins when thinks about the amazing football season he had, despite all the dramas with Quinn and Santana, one thing that well that school year, was the fact that he _did_ make the team, and even better is the fact that he's the youngest quarterback _ever_ in McKinely's history, something he's _really_ proud of. He loves football it's the first thing he's been _really_ good at. He can see himself maybe doing that after high school.

"Well recruiters don't usually start looking at you till at least junior year and I'm hoping to go to OSU, it was my dad's alma mater. You're still going to get your name in the bright lights of Broadway?"

"Of course." Rachel says with a bright smile, she looks at him shyly, "Maybe you could come visit me?"

"Are you kidding? You better send me tickets. I'm going to be in the front row of your first show, cheering on the loudest. "Finn says with a bright grin, earning a smile from Rachel, that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Finn on noticing her still sullen mood, rubs her leg encouraging, "Hey what's wrong? You know I'm sorry I couldn't get an extra football jersey for you, but I'm hoping next year I might be able to bring you my old one."

At the mention of his promised football jersey Rachel grins, her previous worries forgotten."Oh! Well then next summer we'll take those picture. Ooh, you should bring both and we can take matching pictures! It would be so cute."

Finn chuckles, nodding in agreement 'cause he knows no one will see the pictures he has of them on his phone anyway. An image of Rachel only wearing his football jersey suddenly pops into his head and his cheeks flame, glad that Rachel can't read his mind.

He looks across at her to see, the pensive expression on her face yet again, he was hoping bringing up the football jersey would distract her enough. "Hey what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Rachel says quickly, smiling up at him, "I'm just thinking about what we're going to do tomorrow."

"We have kitchen duty." Finn says with a grimace, "should be fun. I can't wait."

Rachel laughs elbowing him slightly in the gut, "Liar."

"You're so violent Ms. Berry." Finn teases, nuzzling her neck as she giggles loudly, and they earn a stink eye from one of the counsellors.

So they both immediately sober up, but don't bother to turn around, because they know that none of the adults would be paying them any mind, anyway. Finn pulls out his iPhone and they start listening to music.

They spend the last two weeks of camp enjoying each other's company, no more talks of college plans or high school is spoken about, unless it was constant promises to call each other as much as they can.

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><p><em>And a little angst but overall more fluff than anything. :P<em>

Reviews are love ;)


	6. Sixteen Years : Part 1

_So the second to last summer, that was quick lol. _

_FYI the rating in this fic will be coming up in the next chapter so fair warning._

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><p>vii.<p>

"You're kidding." Finn says in disbelief looking from his mother's elated expression to Burt's serious one.

Something he never expected to encounter, when he got back from summer camp the year before?

That apparently his mother is _dating_ and the dude, Burt Hummel, has a son Kurt who's also in Finn's year. So instead of having a drama free sophomore year like he planned, Finn had to adjust to the idea of his mother dating. It was hard at first but Rachel kept encouraging to give Burt _and_ Kurt a chance and with time Finn grew to like both of them. He and Kurt were in a few classes together, but they weren't part of the same social circle, and never spoke, but the dudes cool, he reminds Finn a little bit of Rachel, because Kurt's in glee club and loves to sing.

But despite all this he never expected their usual dinner, to turn into his mom and Burt announcing their engagement, and plans to marry by July. From the looks of Kurt's expression, the dude is just as shocked as Finn is. But Finn's happy for his mom, he knows how much she loves Burt, and Burt is a decent guy. Finn likes Burt, he's a good listener and he took Finn to his first baseball game. He and his mom immediately begin to talk plans for the wedding, dresses and other things Finn doesn't really care for.

No, the thing that is bothering Finn, is that they bought a house together and Finn is moving out of his house, before the wedding. Finn hates the fact that he has to move, but Burt promised that this new house is bigger than _both_ of their houses and he and Kurt each have their own bathroom which is pretty cool. Kurt's really excited about that one.

All this change is a lot, but what Finn hates the most is the fact that he will be missing camp yet again, but this time it's even worse because he has a _girlfriend_ who has been counting down the weeks till they see each other.

"What about camp?" Finn asks incredulously, "Can't I still go and just leave a few weeks early to come for the wedding?"

"Honey, don't you want to be involved in planning the wedding? Unpack your stuff?" His mom asks, glancing at Burt.

"Actually, with Kurt being your mom's wedding planner, I need another pair of hands in the shop." Burt suggests, he owns a tire shop.

Finn eyes widen as he looks at his mom for confirmation, this would be his first job ever, and his mom nods in encouragement, "A summer job. Now that would be cool. I thought you would have grown out of camp anyway."

Finn sighs as he thinks about Rachel but he knows that there is no way out of this, so he nods his head in agreement all the while in the back of his mind wondering how he's going to break the news to Rachel. "That sounds great, and congrats guys, I'm happy for you."

His mom cries after that, much to his horror and she hugs him and kisses him, Kurt snickering at him behind his hands. That is until she turns on _Kurt_ and hugs and kisses him, Finn just sits back and laughs at Kurt expense. Finn thinks he'll like the idea of getting a new family.

Finn puts off telling Rachel about his plans until the very last minute. That is a week after school lets out and a week _before_ he's suppose to go to camp. He's sitting in his new bedroom, Kurt's laptop on his lap, ( his own crashed a few days ago and is currently under repair) waiting for Rachel to get online, when he sees the little icon light up, announcing her status he grins broadly immediately calling her.

When he sees her bright face on his computer screen he smiles brightly, "Hey baby!"

"Hi." Rachel greets, but he can see right away something's off with her.

"Everything okay Rach?" He asks tentatively, shifting the laptop on his lap.

"I have something to tell you about camp."

Finn sits up at the mention of camp, he can't let her continue thinking they're going to see each other in a few short days, "Actually I have stuff to tell you too, I've been kinda putting it off, trying to see if I could work something out. But, you know with the wedding and moving and everything? Burt needs some help in the tire shop and it looks like I won't be going to camp this year."

"Oh thank god." Rachel breathes out, much to Finn surprise, and he's a little hurt as well.

"Wait what?"

"Oh, no baby I want to see you. It's just my Dads planned this big family vacation, they want to road trip to various states seeing as this is my last summer with them and with next year being our final year at camp, I can't miss that. I know we both made so much plans this summer and counting down, but I'm just glad we're both not going to be there."

Rachel speaks all too quickly, but by now after knowing her for 6 years and dating her for one year, Finn a master at her 'quickBerry' speech as he likes to call it. He visibly relaxes at her words though, yea it sucks that they won't see each other, but at least neither of them would be miserable at camp alone, he'll miss his friends at camp for sure, but going there without Rachel would be too hard.

"Well at least we'll be able to Skype more," Finn says thoughtfully, "I mean, I start work week after next and still have to unpack, but with no school or practice. We can have more _longer_ dates, when you're not sightseeing with your dads that is."

"We don't leave for another three weeks." Rachel says, she then smirks, leaning back against her plush pink pillows, her fingers trailing slowly along the edge of her pyjama top, "That means you have me all to yourself for three whole weeks."

Finn gulps at her, his eyes straying to his bedroom door briefly, to ensure that it is indeed locked. He smiles as she plays with the top button of her tank top, slowly easing it out of the hole and leaving the other two firmly clasps and the tops of her breast slowly peaking out. Finn grins sinking back into his pillow, his hand resting on his thigh, he's in for a _great_ night with his awesome girlfriend.

When he suggested Skype all those months ago, he never imagined (okay he _hoped_) their conversations would turn to such a sexual kind. For the first few months they chatted, joked and flirted, but somewhere along the line Rachel seemed more playful and got bolder with each of their conversations. She told him the night they celebrated their 6 months anniversary that if they were like a normal couple and actually saw each other, she would have let him get to third base by now. Suffice to say Finn almost fell out his bed with those words, since then, their Skype dates have taken a much _dirtier_ twist, and Finn loves every minute of it, and judging by Rachel's enthusiasm and expressions she enjoys their 'conversations' as well. He was hoping that he'd get to do those things in _person_ at camp, but now their plans have changed and he'll take what he can get, not like it's a _bad_ thing anyway.

He basically spends his first week off from school attached to his laptop, he and Rachel talk every single day, hours at end. He meets her Dads accidentally, because he and Rachel decide to have a movie night and Rachel stepped away to use the bathroom and he apparently did not hear her.

"Babe, you have to look at this scene, I know you're probably hiding behind your pillow. But seriously you can't watch the entire movie from behind there!" Finn calls out teasingly, when he doesn't get a response, he calls out to her again, "Babe?"

He tears his gaze away from the tv to look at the computer screen and almost drops it in shock when he sees one of Rachel's fathers staring back at him with a curious expression.

"Mr. Berry. Hi." Finn says awkwardly, thanking god that it was a rainy day so he was dressed in sweats and a t-shirt as opposed to usually just his boxers, "I...uh...I'm Finn. Nice to meet you."

"Ah. The infamous Finn Hudson." The older man says, his eyes boring into Finn from behind his thick black framed glasses, "Your _babe_, is in the bathroom."

Finn cheeks flame at the older man's words, his palms get sweaty as he tries to figure out how to get out of this situation, when to his absolute horror he hears another voice in the background, Rachel's _other_ father, LeRoy.

"Hiram? Who are you talking too? Isn't that Rae's laptop?" A light brown skinned man with curly black hair, suddenly appears behind Hiram, when he sees Finn his eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "Why hello. You must be Finn Hudson. The boy that stole my baby girl's heart."

Finn gapes at the two men not sure how he's suppose to respond to that, Hiram is still looking at him with narrowed eyes and LeRoy is smiling, but not the kind of happy smile, but more the smile like those hunters get when hunting season starts. Finn gulps never in his life so glad that he's on a different _coast_ to Rachel. The three of them look at each other in silence for a few uncomfortable seconds when Rachel's voice rings out.

"Dad? Papa? What are you doing?"

Finn visibly sighs in relief, watching as LeRoy's twinkle in amusement, as Rachel squeezes herself between her fathers' to grab her laptop, "What are the two of you doing?"

"We're just saying hello to your boyfriend." Hiram says brightly, sending Finn a smile, that makes Finn tense, because he's pretty sure is worse that LeRoy's 'huntsmen smile'.

"Yes Rae, you've talked about this boy nonstop for 6 years, it's about time we meet him." LeRoy says brightly, _too_ brightly, in Finn's opinion, "In fact why don't the four of us have dinner tomorrow night?"

"Dad, Finn lives in _Ohio_." Rachel points out, sending Finn an apologetic look, "He can't just come over for dinner."

"Why not?" Hiram chimes in, "You two have your little movie dates all the time. You can do the same thing. I'm sorry you won't get to taste my roasted lamb Finn, its Rae's favourite. Her father is right, we would like to get to know the infamous Finn Hudson that Rachel has no stopped talking about since she came home from camp _all_ those years ago. Imagine our surprise when Rae tells us that the best friend is now the _boyfriend_."

"Naturally we would like to get to know you." LeRoy adds, and by now Finn no longer knows if the two men are under false pretences or if they _truly _want to get to know him.

But from Rachel's bright excited smile, Finn _has_ to agree to it and only hopes that he's wrong.

So two days later he has dinner with the Berry family, Kurt thinks the whole thing is sweet and he helps Finn choose a proper shirt _and_ tie claiming that even if they are only going to see his face, Finn can at least dress appropriately. His Mom and Burt on the other hand don't take it seriously, because they both think his relationship with Rachel is doomed, even if they don't quite say so those words. But Finn ignores them, listens to his step brother's advice and saves his dinner so that he can eat with the Berrys granted it's almost 9pm his time when he eats with them, but the dinner goes surprisingly well.

The Berrys do genuinely want to get to know him and Finn is surprise by how much he has in common with LeRoy, who's also into sports. Best of all the whole thing makes Rachel very happy and Finn thinks her Dads actually do like him which was a nice bonus and a relief as well.

When he starts to work, his dates with Rachel are cut short, but he makes sure to text her as soon as he leaves so she knows when to expect his call. One day when he's home late from work, covered in oil and grime and trekking his way to his room when he hears a familiar laugh coming from _Kurt's_ room. Finn frowns quickly walking towards his step brother's room, his forehead crinkling in confusion when all he sees is Kurt leaning against his head board, his laptop resting on a pillow a magazine on his lap. That is until he hears _Rachel_'s voice coming from the speaker.

"Rachel?" Finn asks, alerting his presence to the pair.

Kurt looks up startled and then frowns in disgust, "Do _not_ bring your smelly dirty shoes into my room!"

"Are you talking to my girlfriend?" Finn asks incredulously about to take a step into the room, but Kurt screeches in protests.

They may have only been living together for a month, but Finn already feels like Kurt is his annoying little brother. They've gotten to know each other over the past year, Finn thought it would be an adjustment living with the Hummels, but he's already so use to seeing them all the time, the only difference is he and Kurt fight over the television sometimes.

Finn rolls his eyes but slips his sneakers off, at the door and then pads into the room, he turns the laptop to face him and his eyes widen when he sees Rachel smiling back at him, "Rachel? How did...when did...you don't know each other!"

"Must you sound like a blubbering idiot?" Kurt says dryly, pointedly ignoring Rachel's protests at his remark, "When you borrowed my laptop, you left Skype on and she called thinking it was you. We spoke and realized we have a lot in common. Why didn't you tell me Rachel is going to New York as well?"

Finn shrugs, "I didn't think you'd care. So how long have you been speaking anyway?"

"Since you borrowed my laptop, were you not listening?" Kurt remarks.

"Kurt!" Rachel calls out slightly annoyed, "Leave Finn alone! I'm sorry I didn't mention it Finn, but I originally needed Kurt's help to get something to you for our anniversary, it just worked out that I called you when he was on his laptop."

Finn grins at her earlier words, "Really? I sent something to you, yesterday. It should get there right before you leave for your trip."

"Ooh. Do I get a hint what it is?" Rachel asks clapping in excitement.

"As _fascinating_ as this is, Rachel and I were having a conversation and _Finn_ you smell like oil and old rubber. You're stinking up my room, say your goodbyes and _move_." Kurt says dryly, pinching his nose in disgust.

"Hey that's _my_ girlfriend!" Finn protests not liking that _Kurt_ is dictating when Finn can speak to Rachel.

"And you reek. What's your point?" Kurt asks, Finn frowns when Rachel giggles on the screen, but as soon as she sees his expression she sobers up, "She'll be here when you get back. Now _go_ before my sheets start to smell like you."

Finn huffs waving dejectedly at Rachel who just blows him a kiss, and before he even leaves the room he hears her talking animatedly to Kurt about a musical. Finn knows that he should know what it is, 'cause he's pretty sure she's spoken about it numerous times, but he can't for the life of him remember. Kurt though responses just as enthusiastically and its clear his soon to be step brother knows exactly what Rachel is talking about.

Turns out Finn isn't too fond of this new friendship between Rachel and Kurt. Finn's convinced they speak more than he and Rachel do, which is not cool at all. When they aren't talking about various Broadway shows, or wedding stuff, they are _arguing_ over what singer is better, they talk about people, who Finn is pretty sure died over 20 years ago. Finn is glad they get along so well, he is, it's just when he has a long day from work, sometimes he just wants to shower, eat and then crawl into bed and speak to Rachel all night.

But now he has to _share _her with Kurt, it took him a little while to get use to the fact that he might have to share his Mom with someone else, but as he and Burt bonded over football and cars. Kurt and his mom bonded over clothes and food. So, Finn warmed up to the idea of sharing his mom with Kurt, mostly because Finn knew that Kurt felt the same way about Finn and Burt. But Finn draws a line when it comes to Rachel, he's not suppose to _share_ his girlfriend, even if it is his brother, who's in love with some dude in school, who Finn thinks is a complete asswipe.

Point is Finn would like to actually spend time with girlfriend, she's not even here in person and yet he's fighting to spend _virtual_ time with her. How messed up is that.

On the day of the wedding Finn spends his time lounging around Burt's brother house watching the huge plasma TV with the rest of the groomsmen while, his mom, Kurt and the bridesmaids take over their house. Finn got kicked out of his own bed at the asscrack of dawn just because all those women have to get ready for a Wedding that doesn't start until three. Finn knows he's better off here than in that madhouse, but he wished he had time to at least grab his laptop, he hasn't spoken to Rachel in days and it's freaking him out. He still gets his nightly text goodnight, but with Rachel travelling all over the continent, he's just not getting to talk to her as much as he would like and it sucks.

He's beginning to hate this long distance thing, he's pretty sure he's in love with Rachel, he's known this for _months,_ hell probably years now, but he wants to tell her in person and _not_ by video chat or text message, and it sucks that he's not going to see her till _next_ year. He even starts to save money hoping he could have enough for a plane ticket to San Diego to visit her, he has no clue what either of their parents would say about that, but he does know he can't go _another_ year without seeing her.

What is worse, is Rachel seems to be keeping something from him, he _knows_ it but he can't talk to her long enough to find out and he asks Kurt (He guesses that's a plus side to their friendship), the other boy just say's Finn is being paranoid and Rachel is just exhausted from her trips, he thinks she's suppose to be in Colorado now, he's not sure. She's been _all_ over the place, she and her dads started on the west coast and slowly making their way to the east, New York being their last stop.

When it's time to get ready, Finn realizes he forgot not only his tie, but also the little flower he needs to pin to his pocket and he's pretty sure if he's not wearing that and _matching_ Kurt for the pictures (They are the best men) Kurt will probably kill him with a nail file. Burt quickly hands over his keys telling Finn to hurry up and just drive to the church where they plan on taking pictures before the ceremony. Finn doesn't understand why he just doesn't catch a ride with his mom, it's not like _he's_ the one marrying her and can't see her. But, Finn figures the dude is probably nervous as hell and not even sure what he's saying.

Finn opens up the front door to the house, expecting to hear the endless chatter of his mother and her friends, but he's greeted with silence, with a frown he realizes he missed the limo. He takes the stares to his room two at a time, knowing that Kurt will call him any minute to yell at him. He doesn't understand how his tie and flower is not on his tux though, he never took it out of the bag it came in. In fact _Kurt_ was the one that _insisted_ he'd be in charge of Finn's tux, all Finn had to do was pick it up before heading to Burt's brother's house.

Finn is so consumed by his thoughts he doesn't see the person sitting on his bed, until a very familiar voice calls out to him.

"Hi Finn."

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><p><em>So I had to split this in half because the chapter was just WAY too long to post together.<em>

Reviews are love ;)


	7. Sixteen Years : Part 2

_Second to last chapter, as you can see the rating as raised._

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><p>Finn looks up startled, the car keys dropping to the floor with a clank. Sitting on his bed, dressed in a pretty light pink dress, her shoulders bare and her hair neatly curled and cascading down her front, is Rachel looking beautiful as ever, and hanging from her finger is Finn's tie and she's smiling brightly at him.<p>

"Rachel?"

"Looking for something?" She says cheekily, before she tackles him into a hug, her lips on his before he could even fully process what is going on.

He wraps his arms around her waist, pressing his lips firmly to hers, as he raises her off her feet kissing her deeply. When she pulls back, her lipstick is smudged, her lips swollen, but she's smiling brightly at him.

"Hi baby." She says her eyes bright, her arms going around his waist to squeeze him tightly.

"What...how..." Finn trails off shaking his head as Rachel laughs and pulls him to his bed.

Rachel Berry, his _girlfriend_, is sitting on his _bed_, and not a virtual version of her either, the real thing. Finn breathes in deeply, the smell of vanilla and almonds and just _Rachel _consumes his sense and he just want to hold her and never let go.

"My Papa wants to go Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh to see the dinosaurs. Lima is four hours away from there, so I convinced them to take a detour." Rachel says with a grin, her fingers playing with his own.

"You're the best." Finn says truthfully, his cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

"I know." Rachel says with a giggle, "I planned this with Kurt _weeks_ ago, spoke to your Mom and Burt too. I wanted to surprise you."

"Trust me babe. You did." Finns says with a smile, as he wraps his arm around her shoulder and tugging her closer to him.

When she looks up at him with smile, he takes that as an invitation and kisses her heatedly, his tongue slipping between her lips, his hand cupping her face. Rachel gasps against his mouth, her own hand gripping the lapels of his tux, pulling him closer to her, whimpering his name softly between kisses.

"Rach." He moans out, rolling them, so that she's lying on her back and he's hovering over her.

He presses wet kisses to her collarbone, his fingers dipping between the corset of her dress and rubbing her bare breast.

"Finn...wait." Rachel gasps out, putting a hand on his wrist, stopping him. Finn looks at her with concern, "The wedding."

"Fuck, the wedding!" Finn exclaims in realization as he scrambles off of her and gets to his feet, holding out his hand to her, "Kurt is going to kill me."

Rachel giggles softly, grabbing his forgotten tie and throws is over his neck tugging him towards her, finishing tying it for him. "Breathe, we'll get there in time. I have your flower in my purse."

"Thanks." Finn says bright, kissing her nose and tugging her out the door once she grabs her purse and he grabs the fallen car keys, "Did I mention how beautiful you look? 'Cause you do."

They arrive at the church without any incident, Finn introduces Rachel to any and everyone just cause he wants everyone to know his girlfriend, and he holds her hand the entire time, just because he can.

The wedding ceremony was amazing.

His mom cries.

Kurt is a mess, and Finn wonders if his new stepbrother is going to pass out at the altar.

Finn looks across at Rachel during the vows, and he sees that _she_ is crying as well. Rachel only met his mother and Burt over an hour ago. He realizes he loves her just a little bit more for being so sentimental about his mother's wedding.

His Mom and Burt decided to have the reception at their house, neither of them wanting a big wedding, so there small group of family, friends and co-workers gather in their back yard, which is adorned with a large white tents and removable floors placed over the grass. (Finn was amazed there was such a thing as rent-a-floor. Like you can actually _rent_ a _floor_ for a few hours).

When it's time for him to give his speech, he stands up fixing his tie and sends Rachel a nervous glance, but she just nods her head in support. She helped him with the speech weeks ago and made sure he practiced it at least three times a week. Rachel can be very persistent when she wants to be.

Kurt, who's sitting on the opposite side to Burt smiles and clinks his fork against his glass, and once all eyes are on him, the room in silence, Finn clears his throat and begins.

"Growing up, it's always been me and my Mom, us against the world sort of thing, and I was fine with that, because that's all I ever knew, _she_ was all I needed. She taught me everything I know, she taught me how to tie my shoes; she taught me how to cook instant mac and cheese. She taught me how to throw my first baseball. She taught me everything that I know. Basically she's been my mom _and_ my dad. She's the most awesome mom in the world and I love her more than I love anything. I was happy with the way things were for the past 16 years and I thought my mom was too. Until she met Burt and I realized, that though she was happy with it being just the two of us, something was missing in her life. The first time the four of us, me, my Mom, Burt and Kurt had dinner and I saw how happy Burt made my mom, I finally realized what that something that missing in her life was. To see that she's found some to love her just as much as I do and so much more, makes me so happy, because my mom deserves the best and I know Burt will continue to love her and make her happier than I have ever seen her...and I just want to thank him. Thank you Burt for making my mom happier than she's ever been."

When he's finishes, his Mom is in tears and pulls him into a hug, and everyone claps, he sees over his mom's shoulder that Kurt is crying and Burt is looking a bit teary himself. A lot of people are crying, and when he finally sits back down and his eyes automatically finds Rachel, she's wiping her away her tears and mouthing 'amazing' to him. She's the one that told him to speak from his heart, and helped him get his point across.

Finn thinks _she's_ amazing.

Hours later, the tables and chairs have been moved to make room for the dance floor and Finn and Rachel are currently swaying amongst the other guests. Rachel has her arms around Finn's neck, her head resting on his chest as they sway together.

Finn wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her closer towards him, "I'm so glad you're here."

Rachel looks up, her chin resting on his breastbone, her eyes twinkling, "Me too."

He smiles down at her tilting his head, just as she gets on her tip toes and they kiss slowly, Rachel's fingers playing the hairs on the back of his neck, while his own hand is splayed across her back, rubbing the soft material.

When she pulls back, her lips slightly swollen and her cheeks pink, he thinks she's the most beautiful person he's ever seen, "I love you."

"I love you too." Rachel says brightly, going up on her tip toes to kiss him, their lips barely grazing before she pulls back, her eyes shining, "I love you _so_ much."

"I've been waiting all year to tell you that." He confesses.

"I've been waiting for five years to hear you say it." She says softly in return, their foreheads almost touching.

"Sorry it took me so long to get my head out of my ass." He jokes, chuckling when Rachel pulls back and slaps him on the shoulder.

"Don't say that. You do things on your own time, and you never say things you mean unless you're completely sure about it. It's one of the things I love about you."

"I love that you've always been able to get me, like no one else could." Finn says.

This time he's the one to initiate the kiss, when he deepens the kiss and is about to slip his tongue between her lips, she pulls back abruptly, her eyes narrowing at him, "We are in public! Your _parents_ are here."

Finn chuckles, and looks around the room to see no one is paying them any attention. He grasps her hand and tugs her off the dance floor. When he reaches the stairs to the back of the house he gestures to it questioningly with his chin. He wants to spend some time alone with her, but he would never force to go, if she's not uncomfortable with going, they _do_ have his parents to worry about after all. But he suspects his Mom and Burt are so wrapped up in each other they wouldn't notice if a bomb went off next door.

He watches as she bites her lip, looking around the crowded back yard one more time, before _she's_ tugging him into the house, "Let's go."

His girl is the best.

Before he can even shut his door close, Rachel has him pressed up against his door, devouring his mouth. Her lips are frantically tugging and nipping his own, her tongue slipping between his teeth, caressing the inside of his mouth. He groans as he feels her press her body against his, her fingers working furiously to tug off his tie as his hands move down her back, cupping her ass and pulling her to him.

"Let's go to the bed." She whispers in his ear, before she presses a kiss to his lips.

"Okay." He says with a gulp, ignoring the way his heart begins to race, and his palms get sweaty, not believing this was really happening.

He watches as Rachel slips off her heels and sits at the edge of his bed, her eagerness from before slowly replaced by nerves as she starts twisting her fingers nervously on her lap, yet to crawl onto the bed as planned. Finn on seeing her expression, toes off his shoes and tugs of his socks as well before he takes a seat next to her.

He takes her hands in his own, squeezing them gently, "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Just because I said I love you doesn't mean I _expect_ anything from you. Babe, I love you. We can spend the rest of the night just snuggled up on the bed watching old cartoons and I'd be happy."

Rachel giggles at his words and smiles shyly, "I love you, but I just don't think I'm ready for sex, just quite yet."

Finn has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his body in check, after she hears her utter the word _sex_. He needs to focus on her, and make sure that _she's_ feeling comfortable. "We won't do anything until you're 130% sure."

Rachel giggles at his comment, leaning forward to kiss him briefly, "I love you."

She moves to stand in front of him, her eyes twinkling with mischief, Finn watches her curiously, but then when he sees her hands bend to behind her and he hears the sound of her zipper being tugged down, he can't even stop his jaw from dropping in surprise.

"Just because I'm not ready to go all the way, doesn't mean we can't do _other_ stuff." Rachel says provocatively just as her dress hits the floor, and she's left standing in front of him, only in a little pink panties with white lace along the edges.

Finn gulps his pants tightening as he watches the small globes of her bare breasts in the _flesh_. This is how a many of their late night Skype chats begin, but this time she's actually standing in front of him half naked and Finn is just staring at her, his mouth wide open.

"Well are you going to say anything?" Rachel asks, but her eyes are twinkling in merit, so he knows she's not upset over his lack of response.

"Fuck, you're hot." He blurts out, his cheeks reddening at his crass words, but Rachel just giggles in response taking a step towards him.

He places his hands on her hips, licking his dry lips as he looks up at her, and then tugs her down for a heated kiss. His hand slowly moves up her slim torso, gently cupping her bare breast, squeezing it as he continues to kiss her, loving the feel of her soft flesh against his skin for the first time and the way she moans against his lips.

He uses his free hand to tug her closer, so that she's standing between his parted legs, as he starts peppering wet kisses against her collarbone, slowly massaging her breast. As he slowly trails his mouth between the valley of her breast, he hovers over her bare nipple and casts his eyes upward, silently asking her permission.

When she nods eagerly, so much so that she puts her hand behind his head and tugging his mouth to her breast, that's all the encouragement her needs before he takes her already hardened nipple between his teeth, sucking it tentatively, unsure if what he's doing is right. But when she _moans _out his name, and her fingers that are still resting on his head, tugging at his hair, he knows he must be doing something right.

He slowly sucks on her breast, taking more of it into her mouth, moving his tongue over her nipple, he can feel his erection pressing painfully against the zipper of his slacks and he needs to close his eyes for a brief second, to calm his body down.

With each swipe of his tongue, he gets a little bit more confident in his movements, judging by the way Rachel gasps and rocks her hips towards him, her hand now holding onto his shoulder, her fingers gripping his shirt tightly.

"Finn...oh...Finn...Finn _wait_." She gasps out, finally tugging his mouth away from her breast to get his attention.

He looks at her with wide eyes, "Sorry! Did I do something wrong? I..."

But she cuts him off with an eager kiss and then pulls back slightly, "How about we lie down?"

Finn nods eagerly, about to turn around to crawl onto the bed, when Rachel's hand on his thigh stops him immediately. He has to bite his cheek _hard_ to stop himself from rocking his hips against her. He looks up at her questioningly, as she smiles her fingers moving to the top button of his shirt.

"You are wearing _way_ too much clothes." She says coyly, the playful tone of her voice, calming his raging libido.

He stands up, and helps her get rid of his shirt, undershirt and his slacks until he's standing in front of her in only his Green Lantern boxers. Rachel on seeing them giggles loudly, as they both crawl onto the bed, lying facing each other.

"Don't laugh. I didn't _know_ you were going to be here." Finn protests, as he tucks her hair behind her ear, watching her breasts press together as she shifts closer to him.

"So you have specific boxers you wear when we Skype?" She asks in amusement, her hand slowly trailing up his side.

"Don't you?" He counters back, moving his own hand to run his finger along the lace of her underwear, smiling as he hears her breath hitch at his movements, "I've never seen _this_ before."

"Well _this_ was for a special occasion." She says softly, gasping when his fingers trail over her mound, as he gets boulder with every time he presses his finger to her, feeling the dampness of her panties, "You've seen my Hello Kitty underwear. Only when I plan things I think about...about choosing...umm."

"We're talking too much."

He whispers against her lips, just before he kisses her passionately, sucking on her bottom lip as he flips them, so that she's on her back, with him hovering over her. His hand is still lightly pressing against her damp panties. They gasp in surprise when he moves lower and presses right at her core, the feeling new to both of them. Just because he's seen her do this for him countless times doesn't mean he can handle the real thing.

He involuntarily presses his hips to against his mattress trying to ease the tightest he's feeling in dick, just as Rachel gasps against his lips.

"Can I..." He asks softly and she nods eagerly, her eyes wide, and it's comforting to know that she's just as nervous as he is.

"I can take off mine too if you want." Finn offers, knowing she might feel more comfortable if they are both naked.

They've always done things together, and this would be no different. When he feels her nimble little fingers hook on either side of the waist of his boxers, her knuckles pressed against his bare hip, he wonders briefly is he's even going to make it to the good stuff cause he's _pretty_ sure he's just about ready to explode.

He helps her tug his boxers off, and then kneeling in front of her, watching her eyes widen when his dick springs up after being restrained for so long. He deserves some kind of medal for lasting this long, especially when he has a hot almost naked girl staring at his dick, _licking_ her lips.

Rachel is so sexy and she doesn't even _know_ it.

"It looks much _bigger_ than you know on camera." She says in awe, biting her lip.

Finn tries not to blush at her comment, and ignore the nagging feeling of _smugness_ as well.

When she looks up at him questioningly, he nods not believing she thinks she has to _ask_ to touch his dick. He watches as she tentatively stretches out her hand, when her fingers barely graze his dick, he can't even hide his groan if he tried.

"Oh! Did I hurt you?"

Rachel immediately pulls away at his groan, and this time he groans out in protest than in pleasure. He gently takes her wrist and guides her small hand back to his dick, hissing when her fingers press on it lightly, "It's okay."

"I don't know what I'm doing."

She confesses sheepishly, almost as though it's a secret, her fingers barely even grazing his overheated skin. Finn knows this, he's never had a girl's hand on his dick either, but he doesn't say that to Rachel, "You've seen me do it before. Loads of times."

"You make it sound like that's _all_ we do_._" Rachel says with a scowl.

That seems to take away her nervousness though because then she carefully wraps her tiny hand around the tip of his cock, and looks at him questioningly, as she slowly starts to move her hand along his shaft, much like she's seen him do when they chat. Finn grips the sheets, gasping at the feel of her soft skin against his cock. She's not even adding any kind of pressure and already he has to restrain himself from thrusting his hips into her hand.

"Like this?" She asks softly, her eyes fixated on the way her hand moves along his shaft, her fingers almost pressing against the engorged veins, sending him crazy.

"You can...uhh... squeeze... _more._" He moans out the last part his hips raising as she follows his instructions.

"Oh god Rach." He hisses out as she squeezes along his shaft, alternating the amount of pressure she puts, when she swipes her thumb over the bit of precum and rubs it into his shaft he growls out at the sensation.

"Faster." He's begging now, the tension in his body rising, as he doesn't even hold back, thrusting against her hand repeatedly, and she speeds up just as he requests, "Yes...baby..."

Rachel only takes his moans as encouragement and quickly begins to alternate the way she starts to rub his shaft creating a new sensation for Finn and he knows that he's going to explode any minute, "Baby...I'm going...Oh _fuck_!_"_

He shouts out as she give him one final squeeze and he comes all over her hand, some of it dripping down her wrist and onto the bed. He collapses back on the bed breathing heavily, "Sorry. I tried to warn you."

"It's okay, that's what I was hoping for." Rachel says her voice still in wonder as she looks at her hand. He can see her nipples are hard, her entire body flush and he realizes how much that turned her on as well.

He quickly turns around and grabs a few pieces of tissue paper from his bedside table and quickly wipes her hand clean, then throwing it away. When he turns around to face her he gets on his knees and tugs her two him, their body flush against each other as he kisses her deeply, groaning as he feels her bare breast against his skin for the first time. To his surprise Rachel begins to rub her body against his, further pressing her breast up against his chest, their moans muffled by their kisses.

"Finn...I need...I want you..touch me." Rachel gasps out between kisses her fingers digging into his shoulders.

That's all the initiative Finn needs, before his hand moves between her thighs, when he feels how she's even _more_ damp than before, he begins to feel his cock begin to stir yet again. He presses his finger tentatively against her heat marvelling at how Rachel _hisses_ his name, her back arching as her hips buck against his hand.

"Take...them..._ohhh_." It's all she gets before she starts to moan and squirm.

They both work together to pull off her damp panties, throwing them over the bed before Finn cups the back of her head pulling her for a heated kiss and them moving her so she's lying flat on her back, her legs parted, for _him_. Yes he's seen her like this before, but never so close up and so _real_ before, he can smell the room just reeks of _sex_ and them and its intoxicating.

"Finn." Rachel calls out, her legs widening for him, her hips raising slightly, _eagerly_ towards him.

"Tell me, if I hurt you...or something." He says softly, his hand going between her legs.

When the tips of his fingers brush against the soft wet heat of her for the first time, Rachel hums in appreciation, bending one of her knees and then spreading her legs apart.

"More." She pleads, and just like he did with her, she takes his hand that's still hovering over her swollen sex and slowly helps him move his finger up and down her slit, her nails digging into his flesh as she groans out in pleasure.

She then slowly helps him slide his finger into her heat, before she lets go of his wrist. The feeling of Rachel's pussy wrapped around his finger, hot, wet and clenching around him makes him feel slightly light headed, even more so when Rachel begins to thrust her hip moving on his finger, her body arching off the bed.

"More. Finn." She gasps out.

He starts to thrust into her, feeling the ways she clamps down on his finger, all her wetness running down his knuckles, he starts moving his finger in a circular movement, watching in awe as Rachel's body squirms, her head thrashing against his bed, her nipples erect. He can feel his erection growing with each little sound she makes and the way her muscles clenches around his finger.

He slowly begins to slip another finger in, watching her face for any discomfort, when he sees her eyes wide in surprise, he freezes, "Too much?"

He's about to pull out, but her hand around his wrist stops him, "Just...go slow...my fingers are much smaller than yours."

He nods in understanding slowly taking his time watching and waiting for her to give him the okay. When she finally does, he still moves his fingers slowly, until she starts thrusting her hip begging him to move faster.

"Oh. Oh..._oh!_."

Rachel is moaning loudly, and Finn is so glad the music from the reception is so loud, it drowns out her screams of pleasure. Her head is thrown back as she gasps, Finn watches the way her boobs bounce which each thrust of her hips onto his fingers and he can feel her repeatedly clenching around his fingers and he wonders if she's close. He thinks she is so he moves his free hand to one of her breasts, tweaking the harden nipple tugging at it, before he palms her breast remembering seeing her do that once, all the while continuing to move his fingers deep inside of her.

When he feels her entire body tense, and then watches as her body almost completely bows back and completely off the bed, Rachel moaning out in ecstasy as she comes, he can feel her clenching continuously around his finger until her body collapses back on the bed in exhaustion. Finn slowly eases his fingers out her, grabbing a few pieces of tissue paper to clean his finger, before he crawls over to her pressing kisses all over her face.

"I love you." He breathes out deeply before he kisses her.

"I love you too." She returns, her chest still heaving, and he has to stop and marvel at the naked girl lying on his bed.

"That was..." He trails off, not sure how to some up his feelings into words.

"I know." Rachel returns the sentiment and he knows he doesn't need to express his feelings to her, she already knows him so well.

He settles over her kissing her lazily until his erection brushes against her thigh, she pulls back and looks down between them, "Do you want me..."

"You did already."

Despite everything that they have done together, they are both still so shy about it. But, to his surprise, Rachel puts her hands on his chest and pushes him until he's now on his back, and she's straddling his thighs, her boobs bouncing enticingly at the sudden movement. He licks his lips, his erection twitching at the way in which Rachel is eyeing him down, "We can fix this."

That night, he learned that Rachel had no gag reflex, and Rachel tastes as good as she smells.

As it turns out, Rachel was only staying in Lima for three days, she did get to spend the night, under the strict orders she was to bunk with Kurt. But his mother and Burt were staying in a hotel that night, and then heading off to their honeymoon the next day. It's safe to say Rachel has still never seen Kurt's room.

The spend their day together, pretty much doing everything Finn wants to show Rachel, he takes her to Breadstix, Lima's famous restaurant (everyone jokes it's the _only_ one, but it's probably the nicest one they have ), they go to the park, he shows her his school. They basically try to shove everything they can possibly do in the one and half days she's there.

It's the best one and half days of his life.

He wants to take her to every single one of his friend's house just so she can meet _everyone_.

On the day she has to leave, he has a late lunch with her and her dads, meeting her dads like in person is not as scary as he thought it would, but her Dad, Leory _still_ looks at Finn like any moment he could pull out a gun and _kill_ him, the dude _is_ a doctor after all. Finn's pretty sure Leroy can kill him and make it look like an accident.

He doesn't tell Rachel this though.

When it's time for her to leave, Finn doesn't want to say goodbye, and Rachel crying doesn't help him either. The three days were amazing, but he hates that they have to say goodbye so soon. That he won't get to see her for another _year._

He hates that he has to say goodbye at all, and as he stands in his driveway watching their car disappear in the distance, he starts to think about New York, and college and it scares him to think, that he's begging to back plans for them outside of camp and _after_ high school and its freaking him out that he's _not_ scared about the possibility of planning a future with Rachel, but instead in only excites him even more at the prospect of getting to see her _every_ day.

Is it normal for sixteen years old to think about these kind of things? Then again not every 16 year old meets their soulmate at 10 either.

It doesn't even scare him that he sees Rachel as the only one for him, it probably should, but it doesn't.

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><p><em>One more to go.<em>

Reviews are love ;)


	8. Seventeen Years Part 1

_Turns out I write may too much than I thought, so this summer is also split into two chapters. There is one more after this then an epilogue :)_

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><p>viii.<p>

He texts Rachel continuously throughout the entire bus drive to camp, the latest unlimited texting both their cellphones have being used to their full advantage.

_Just drove in :O)_

He quickly punches in, and then slips his phone in his pocket, and stands to make sure than none of the kids are making any noise, well more noise than usual. He's in charge of the bus this year, once the bus comes to halt he stands at the back shouting out instructions to all the kids so they know what to do when they get off. Once everyone has left he does a once over to see if anything got left behind, and sure enough there is a stuff hippo on the floor, and an iPod on one of the seats. He pockets both, just as his phone goes off, he's so busy trying to get to his phone and walk out of the bus at the same time, he doesn't see Rachel until she has her arms wrapped around him, in a tight hug.

"Hey you."

He greets warmly, wrapping his arms around her tightly, breathing in the familiar vanilla almond scent and just _Rachel_. He's missed her so freaking much. He had saved up and was able to convince his parents to let him travel to San Diego for New Years Eve. So he spent two awesome weeks with Rachel, and her dads of course, and it was the best two weeks of his life. They went to the San Diego Zoo, saw some musicals ( Rachel insisted he needed to know if they were to date), Rachel's Dad LeRoy actually took him them to a football game, like with the big leagues and stuff.

Basically those two weeks was the best two weeks of his life. He got to ring in the New Year with Rachel, and only Rachel 'cause her Dads went to an office party, and Finn doesn't think he can ever ring in the new year without Rachel again. He's already saved up enough money for a next trip and for plans after high school.

"I missed you." Rachel's voice brings him out of his thoughts just as she gets on her tip toes to kiss him briefly.

He smiles at her in return, "Me too babe. I gotta go to the office and give these stuff in. Then I have to assign bunks and cabins. Meet after?"

"Of course." She says brightly, but loops her arms through his, "I'm actually heading that way for my schedule and the girl's schedules as well. I'll walk with you."

Finn grins, knocking his shoulder against her own, "So, you told me you had big news, but you wanted to tell me in person?"

"Oh yes." Rachel says excitedly, "I told Kurt not to mention it either, we found a school! In New York, a theatre school, NYADA and I'm hoping to apply in fall. It's becoming all so real Finn. My dreams are coming true."

"I'm so happy for you." Finn says sincerely, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her close and kissing the top of her head, "So, you and Kurt decided to go to the same school?"

"Yes, as you know Kurt wants to major in theatre as well, and we thought why not go together, we get along great and it just makes more sense. It's comforting to know that I'm not going halfway across the country, by myself you know?"

Finn nods as he thinks about his future, something he's still not sure about. He sighs to himself, just as Rachel nudged him in the side to gain his attention. He looks across at her questioningly, and she smiles at him brightly, and he feels like his mood just improved from one look alone.

"You never told me what happened with the recruiter." Rachel says curiously, "I don't really understand how this works, but you said that they were supposed to come to a few of your games and to see if they were interested?"

"Yea, they came to the championship game, and as you know we won, so the coach at OSU told me and three other guys, they are looking to recruit one of us and they'll continue to watch us throughout senior year and we'll know for sure who they decide to go with by the end of the season. Coach Bieste says I'm a shoe in for it. Once I keep up playing like I am."

"Oh Finn!" Rachel gasps jumping into Finn's arms, making him loose hold on his duffle bag, so he can support her weight as she wraps her arms around him, peppering small kisses on his face, "That's great baby! Congrats!"

Finn can't help but chuckle at her excitement, hugging her before she slips out of his arms "Thanks babe. I still have this year first though, and that's even if I want to play football after."

"What? Since when?" Rachel asks appalled, pulling Finn to a stop, her hands on her hips.

Finn sighs, this is not how he wants to tell her this, he sees the office come into view and sighs in relief, "I'm just not sure anymore. We'll talk more about it later okay? I gotta go sort out the kids and so do you."

He watches as she wrestles with herself, clearly deciding if to continue to discuss the top, but then she sighs nodding in agreement. Finn knows this won't be the last he hears of this. He bends down and kisses her briefly on the cheek, "Meet me at our place once you're finished?"

"Of course." Rachel responds, but Finn can still see the worry written all over her face, as they enter the office.

He's going to have to tell her about his plans, but he's not sure how she'll take it, actually he knows exactly what she'll say, but he needs her to know that them being together is the most important thing to him. Two years of a long distance relationship is just too much he can't take another four or five years of this. He needs _her_ more than anything.

Almost three hours later, Finn is finally making his way down to the lake, he smiles when he sees Rachel is sitting at the very end of the dock, her feet swinging freely over the edge, and after all these years she _still _can't reach the water.

He remembers the first time they ever came on the dock. They were ten and all the kids in their two groups got to come to the lake to swim. Some of the girls and boys were jumping off the dock for fun, but Finn couldn't swim so he basically stayed closer to the shore, when he saw Rachel just sitting by the dock, dressed in her bright pink one piece swimsuit with little bows on the straps, her hair in pigtails, just staring at the water, he'd gone up to her to ask her what was wrong.

_"You can't swim either?" 10 year old Finn asks softly as he walks up to her, shaking some of the water out of his wet hair, making her giggle._

_"Oh, no, actually I'm the best swimmer in my year back home." She says proudly, moving so Finn can sit next to her, "It's just, I'm scared to jump in. It looks so far."_

_"If I could swim, I'd jump with you." Finn says sheepishly, "It looks like more fun together anyway."_

_Rachel turns and looks at him with a wide excited smile, "I'll teach you! I'll teach you how to swim, then we can jump in together."_

_"You're the best."_

_"That's what best friends are for Finn."_

"Finn!"

He shakes his head, and away from his thoughts, to see Rachel looking up at him in concern, shaking his arm, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yea, sorry. Remember when you taught me how to swim?" He says with a smile, hoping to ease her worries.

"Yes! You didn't trust me at all! You thought I was going to drown you." She giggles in thought, "It's a good thing I was taller than you then."

Finn rolls his eyes, she _always_ teases him about the fact that she was taller than him, "For like a _year_,"

"It still counts!" She protests, but then smiles at him, she looks across at the calm lake and then back at him mischief written all over her face, "We have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves. You wanna go for a swim?"

Finn grins, the idea of his _hot_ girlfriend in her little bikini's is _never_ a bad thing, he's already tugging her off the dock and towards the camp as he speaks, "I'll just get my suit."

"Actually...I had something _else_ in mind."

Finn comes to an abrupt halt, his hand slipping out of hers, his eyes wide, "What? You're serious? But like _anyone_ would see."

"Not behind the rocks."

At her words they both automatically turn to left and on the far end side of the lake there is a small gathering of rocks about 10 feet or so, and cuts off the rest of the lake from this part. A lot of the older counsellors have gone there before, and its basically just a small secluded part of the lake that no one can see. Finn tried to convince Rachel to go once the last time they were at camp but Rachel was hell bent on not breaking the rules.

"You're sure?" He asks one last time, already allowing her to tug him down the small rocky shore towards the large boulders.

"We'll just have to be careful." She says easily as the reach the bottom of the rocks, "Now hoist me up, I can't reach the small ledge."

Finn chuckles lightly, as he grasps her hips and raising her to the ledge as she requested, "You're so bossy."

Once she has a firm grip on the rocks she looks down and him and smirks, "You like that,"

Finn grins, not denying that her bossy attitude has always been a bit of a turn on for him, he watches her cautiously as she climbs the boulders and slowly follows her. Once he's safely on the other side, he grabs her waist and puts her on her feet. They both watch the small bay like structure the lake seems to have form due to the rocks, the water calm and softly lapping at the shoreline. The small bit of the lake is completely secluded from the rest of the lake, the part everyone can see, and he's pretty sure they would have to swim out ridiculously far for someone to even notice them.

He looks across at Rachel about to ask her if she wants to go in, but his jaw drops when he sees her already shimmying out of her skirt and tugging her polo shirt off as well. She wiggles her eyebrows at him suggestively as she unhooks her bra and slowly pulls the straps down, Finn licks his dry lips as he sees her naked breast for the first time in _months_ (well the non virtual kind). He's so fixated on the way her boobs sway at her movements, and how he nipples harden, be it under his gaze or the slight breeze, he does not even notice when she takes off her panties, until the little purple _thong_ is hitting him square in the face. By the time he grabs the panties (smelling them too) he just barely gets a glimpse of Rachel's toned, ass before she jumps into the water.

"Well are you going to stand there all day or are you going to join me?" She teases as she surfaces, pushing her wet hair behind her ears and smirking at him.

He undresses in record time, Rachel's laughter echoing around the deserted area. Two years together and she still surprises him, he loves this playful side to her.

"I thought for a minute I was going to have to enjoy this water on my own." She says suggestively, quirking an eyebrow at him as she floats on her back, Finn can see her nipples hard against the cool air, the water just barely lapping at them.

One thing about have a long distance relationship is that, Rachel has learned the art of teasing, down to a perfection. Finn's pretty sure she could turn him on with just one look, and by the little sounds she's making as she floats by, he's already hard.

Damn her.

He figures two can play that game so he slowly swims over to her smiling at her supine form, her eyes squinting due to the sunlight. He takes his hand and gently caresses the smooth contours of her hip, the tips of his fingers just barely grazing the soft curls at the apex of her thighs. He slowly moves his hand up her torso feeling the way the muscles of her stomach contract as his movements and when he just grazes the curve of her breasts she releases a soft moan.

With that she loses her concentration and sinks under the water, when she stands the water is just at the tops of her breast and she then swims up to him.

"Tease."

"I learn from the best."

He retorts cheekily and just she reaches him, her eyes twinkling as she stands in front of him pressing her naked body against his, and he groans when his cock brushes against her bare thigh and her breasts press firmly against his chest. He sighs in content, his fingers splaying across her bare hip under the water.

"I taught you well then."

But just as Rachel is about to kiss him, he tightens his grip on her waist and hoist her in the air, laughing at her squeals of protest as he throws her into the water.

When she surfaces he's grinning impishly at her, "We use to have water fights all the time!"

"I was never _naked_!" She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, a scowl on her face.

Finn frowns not expecting her to get angry over that, he quickly swims over to her, touching her arm tentatively, "Baby, don't be mad, I thought we..."

But he never gets to finish because suddenly Rachel tackles him, and he's so surprised they both go tumbling under the water, when they resurface they are both laughing and she swims to him looping her arms around his neck, her feet kicking under the water.

"I guess I deserved that." He says with a laugh, she smiles in return just before she tugs him down for a kiss.

Her body is pressed firmly against his, her legs wrapping around his waist, and he moans against her lips when he feels tip of his cock just barely brush against the inside of her thigh. His slides his hands down the smooth contour of her torso to grip the firm round flesh of her ass groan as she grids against him, the water splashing around them. This is hottest thing they have ever done.

"Baby." He gasps out in between kisses as he massages her ass, when she pulls back to look at him, her eye dilated her lips swollen and panting.

"Finn...I'm ready." She says softly biting her lip looking at him nervously.

"What, you want to leave now?" He asks stupidly, his mind still occupied with the way her thigh is pressed against his cock, and he's rolling his hips towards.

Rachel giggles at his comment, "No...I mean I'm _ready_."

His eyes bulge when he _finally_ catches on, he watches as her cheeks pink up, "You mean...you..._now_?"

"Not right this minute." Rachel clarifies, how she's able to think straight is beyond him, and why she would bring this up, when they are naked and _so_ close, "I want our first times to be special."

At her words his heart swells, and he stops thinking with his libido for a few minutes, cause she's right, they have spoken about this numerous times and he wants it to be special as well, everything else they have gone through together has been.

He kisses her _deeply_, cause he doesn't know how else to express himself at the moment. When he pulls back she grins at him slyly, "Just because we aren't going to do _that_ here doesn't mean we can't do _other_ things."

He moans as he feels her tiny hand wrap around his cock. His hips bucks into her hand. This summer is already fucking awesome, and it's only the _first_ day.

They never did talk about his future plans and football that day.

Turns out their final year at camp is the busiest yet, they spend most of their time looking over the younger counsellors helping them and picking up the slack when the adults couldn't do it all. They barely get anytime to themselves except dinner, they rarely have lunch together, because there is always something or the other to do. The times they do get to spend together, isn't really alone, and he's soon realizing that neither of their cabins will be ideal for sex because of their roommates.

He wants their first time to be perfect and romantic, as cheesy as it sounds, and he knows that Rachel would appreciate it. The dock comes to mind first because of everything it means to them as well as the whole midnight atmosphere, but the fact that it's so out in the open he doesn't want to take the chances especially their first time. (maybe later in the summer he can convince her of a quickie)

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Rachel asks yet _again_, tugging on his hand impatiently.

Finn rolls his eyes pointedly ignoring her questions, he refuses to let her impatience ruin the surprise, and he's positive she will _love_ what he has in store for them. He places his hand on the small of her back ushering her into the empty mess hall. He locks the door behind them and guides her to the centre of the room, it small bit of moonlight just barely illuminating the room, along with a single candle he has lit.

"Okay now."

He stands next to her watching as her eyes light up and her jaw drops, "Finn! I don't know...how did you..."

He was in charge of locking up the mess hall tonight after, movie night, all the tables and benches were put to the side to leave the centre of the hall empty for movie night. So Finn decided to use it to their advantage and laid out a picnic blanket along with some apples juice and some fruit he swiped from the kitchens. He was able to get Rachel's quilt without her knowing and folded it neatly along with a pillow.

"I want our first time to be special too." He says kissing her softly and helping her to the floor.

"This is..."

"Hold that thought!" He says with a smile, putting a finger to her lips to stop her. He pulls out a remote from his pocket and press a few buttons. Immediately the entire room is cast in a soft glow and the night sky is illuminated on the ceiling of the room. Millions of stars twinkling.

"Finn, how did you do all this?" She says in awe her neck bent back a she takes in the images.

"I switched the computer screensaver to night sky. I know we couldn't do this on the dock, but I thought the illusion would...umf"

He doesn't get to finish because Rachel suddenly tackles him to the floor, her lips firming on his, as she presses her body against his, rocking her hips into his.

"I brought drinks." He says between kisses, but she's too focused on _him_ rather than his words, "Do you know they have airplane cups here?"

"Finn?" Rachel says as she pulls away from his neck, "_I really_ don't care"

Her eyes are twinkling with mischief as she grips his shirt before she lowers her mouth to his jaw and slowly moving down his neck, her tongue leaving a wet trail. He grips her waist, groaning at her ministrations.

"I love you."

She pulls away and looks down at him, her eyes glistening, "I _really_ love you too."

He pulls her in for a scorching kiss that leaves them both breathless and her squirming above him. "I brought your quilt, I know it's not a bed but I want you to be comfortable."

"You're perfect, you know that?" Rachel says softly as she caresses his cheek.

She quickly slips off of him, and they pull out the quilt, after putting away the uneaten food. Once everything is laid out Rachel kneels in front of him, her cheeks red and she bites her lips shyly.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to." He reassures her as he too gets on his kneels then tucks a stray bit of hair behind her ear.

She shakes her head, "I do. I'm just...nervous."

Finn crawls over to her, taking her small hands in his much larger ones, "It's just _me_. Just _us_. We're doing this _together_."

"Like always." She says softly.

"Always and _forever_." He promises kissing her knuckles, not mentioning the fact that he really means that and can see himself spending the rest of his life with her.

* * *

><p><em>Don't hate me for ending it there! <em>

Reviews are love ;)


	9. Seventeen Years Part 2

_Thank you all soo much for all the kind words about this story I never expected this little one shot to turn into such a MASSIVE fic and I never expected such a wonderful response to this story. It means the world to me that so many of you enjoyed it._

_Special thanks to tiltingaxis and Katherine for sitting and plotting with me, encouraging me and giving me the little push I needed to finish this. Your feedback is always helpful and needed :)_

_I do have an idea for an epilogue for this fic but I'm not sure if I'll be writing it or not, so as of now this fic has ended._

* * *

><p>"I love you." She whispers out softly as she kisses him, and they slowly begin to rid themselves of their clothes.<p>

Once they are both naked, he moves her so she's lying back on the quilt her head resting on the pillow. He hovers over her naked form and just soaks in her beauty, the way the soft lights from the artificial stars over them cast a warm glow over her body. Her nipples already hardening and he can see the way her taunt stomach moves with each breath she takes.

He's seen her naked hundreds of times but there is just something about now, in this moment, knowing what they are about to do, that makes her just that much more beautiful. His heart races as he places his hands on either side of her face, "You're so beautiful."

She blushes under his scrutiny and tilts her head so he can kiss her. He slowly sucks on her bottom lip caressing it with his tongue, as she gasps softly against his lips, her tongue soon slipping between his lips. He kisses her feverishly as he lowers his body, his growing erection brushing against her leg. He groans softly as he nips at her lips a few more times until he pulls back.

"I have...condoms." He breathes out, before she leans up to kiss him again.

"Me too." She answers with a smile, "A girl must always be prepared."

They both grin, as he moves his lips slowly against her jaw and then to her neck, taking the lobe of her ear between his teeth, tugging on it gently, as her back arches and her hands grip his shoulder.

He slowly begins to pepper soft wet kisses along her collarbone and then shifts his body lower as he takes a nipple into his mouth, his hand moving to massage her other breast. He slowly begins to suck and lick her nipple, swirling his tongue around the hardening nub, before he latches his mouth around her entire breast and sucks on it gently, loving the tiny little gasps she releases as he continues, her fingers tugging on his hair.

He releases her other breast and starts trailing his hand down her stomach, his finger tips just barely grazing her skin, lightly moving to the curve of her hips as he feels her open her legs, bending one of them at the knee. He continue to lavish her breast, his teeth grazing her nipple before he nips it, then soothes it with his tongue, all the while his other hand moving to the apex of her legs. When his fingers brush against her folds, he moans against her breasts when he feels how wet she already is.

He's about to slowly move his finger along her folds when she grabs his hand, stopping him, his fingers still at her entrance

"What's wrong?" He asks with concern, releasing her breast, which is now glistening under the fake starlight.

"I...I need you..._now_." She gasps out, rocking her hips against his hand.

He nods, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips before he scrambles to get the condom out of his pocket. When he gets back to her she sits up, easily taking it from him and tearing open the packet. His cock tightens in anticipation, and he remembers their fail attempt at sex when he visited her in San Diego. Her dads were out for the day and Rachel had gotten flavoured condoms, and she wanted to try them. _Never_ one to say no Rachel going down on him, he quickly agreed, they went through a few before they got it right, and it was pretty awesome. In the heat of the moment, Rachel said she was ready, and since they already had the condoms, they decided to try. Suffice to say, things didn't go as planned and Rachel panicked and changed her mind.

Now though she wraps her hand around his cock, pumping it briefly before she nervously rolls on the condom, on noticing that, he cups her face so she can look up at him, "Hey. It's just us."

He watches as she smiles, and her nerves somewhat diminishes, so he leans forward and kisses her deeply, until he feels the tension leave her body. He then guides her back to the pillow, and settles himself between her legs.

She gets up on her elbows and kisses him soundly, "I love you."

"I love you too."

He moves as she widen her legs, biting her lips as she watches him, he gently runs the tips of his fingers against the soft skin of her thigh, slowly making his way to her core, his fingers just barely touching her folds and he can feel how wet she is. He rubs her wet folds softly, watching as she squirms and her hips bucks at his ministrations. When he's sure that she's ready, he grabs his cock, pumping it a few times before he lines himself at her entrance and looks up at her for permission.

She bites her lip, but nods at him. He slowly begins to slide between her swollen lips, grabbing her hand as he reaches resistance, he looks at her again and he sees that her eyes are shut tight, he brings their clasps hands together and kisses her knuckles, "Baby, look at me."

She opens her eyes slowly and looks at him, and once he has her full attention he slowly begins to move in deeper, when he sees her eyes begin to fill with tears, he stops, "Do you want me to..."

She shakes her head vigorously from side to side, "Continue, just...move slow."

He nods and slowly begins to ease in again, until he feels like he's all the way in, he bites his lip _hard_ to keep himself from moving, feeling her around his cock like that, is unlike anything he's ever felt before and he thinks any sudden movements and he'll explode. But he focuses on Rachel, watching as her face contorts in pain, "Baby? You okay? Talk to me?"

She looks up at him squeezing his hand, "I'm okay...you can move."

He slowly begins to move, watching her closely for any discomfort, trying his hardest to ignore his instincts, and the feel of her muscles gripping him tightly. After a while he sees her relax, and he begins to pick up his speed, his hips rocking against hers, he can feel her clench around him and he groans as she slowly begins to meet his thrust, her hips rising off the bed.

"Fuck baby." He hisses out, and he shuts his own eyes tightly, trying to hold off, longer, knowing she's nowhere near ready yet.

But the way her muscles squeeze his cock, and her breast are pressed firmly against his chest, he doesn't know how long he's going to last.

"Finn, let go." She whispers, their fingers tightly intertwined.

"But...you...oh...god..." He gasps out, as her hips rock against hers, and he bites his lips _hard_.

"It's okay." She whispers, he feels as she clenches around him, raising her hips again, and that's all his takes and he groans out her name as he spills out into the condom.

"Oh, god Rach, I'm so..."

"Do _not_ apologize Finn Hudson!" Rachel hisses slapping him on the shoulder, "This was _perfect_ okay?"

"But you..."

"_Perfect_." She stresses, both of them groaning as he slips out of her, but he can't hide his guilt if he tried, he can't believe he couldn't even _wait_ for her, he's terrible.

"Finn look at me." She calls out again, and he looks at her apologetically, "Remember we talked about this? I told you, girls don't usually orgasm the first few times. It's _normal_. This, right here. _Us._ This was perfect. I don't want you feeling guilty for this. I love you and this was everything I ever imagined and _more_."

"I love you too." Finn returns, and allows her to kiss him deeply, trying hard not to beat himself over this.

He quickly sits up and then pulls off the condom, tying it and then wraps it in one of the napkins, to get rid of later. He crawls back over to Rachel, who is currently lying on her back watching the stars. He moves to share the pillow with her, taking her into his arms, as she curls up at his side, "You okay?"

"A little sore, but perfect nonetheless." She answers truthfully, pressing her lips to his bare chest, before she looks up at the fake stars on the ceiling.

"I can make you...if you want...I mean...with my hand or mouth..."He trails off his ears reddening at the fact that he can't even voice that he wants to get his girlfriend off by _other_ means.

"I know you can." Rachel says with a little giggle, "But I'm a little sore, so how about I hold you to that tomorrow?"

"Okay." He replies, kissing the top of her head.

"And Finn?"

"Yea babe?"

"You owe me _two orgasms_ so that we're even by tomorrow." She says teasingly, as she rolls over so be breasts are pressed firmly against his chest and her eyes are twinkling with merit.

"How two?" He asks in amusement, more than happy to do as she requests, and he hopes they can try again tomorrow and she gets off _during_ sex.

"Two days go, behind the old abandon shed."

He grins as the image of him leaning back against the old shed, Rachel on her knees in front of him, her mouth wrapped around her cock pops into his mind. That was the riskiest thing they have _ever_ done and he's pretty sure the whole thrill of it (added to her awesome mouth) is what made him come faster than he's ever had before.

"Bet you I could give you _three_." He says confidently, his arms wrapping around her waist, lightly. caressing the tops of her ass.

"I'll hold you to that." Rachel says with a giggle as she leans up to kiss him deeply.

Turns out that age old saying adults tell you when you're kids, that 'practice makes perfect' is _so_ totally true (Finn's pretty sure that's _not_ what his teacher in elementary school intended) and by the middle of summer they are _both_ enjoying sex whenever they can. Making places Finn never thought possible, a very _good_ place to have sex.

Sex in the lake is even better than he imagined, totally irresponsible, but _so_ good.

He's so wrapped up in Rachel and all the other camp duties he has he doesn't even realise that they are halfway through summer until Rachel points it out one afternoon. Weeks have gone by and he has yet to tell her about his plans for after high school and he knows he _has_ to tell her seeing as it involves her as well.

Rachel is on lifeguard duty one sunny afternoon, most of the kids along with their own counsellors are enjoying the lake, but despite the numerous adult supervision and the help of junior and senior counsellors, the camp still has a policy about having lifeguards on duty. Rachel got certified last year (She claims its never wrong to know CPR), so she has that extra duty this summer.

He's got the afternoon off so naturally he's spending it keeping her company, they are both sharing a bench that allows Rachel to see on either side of the dock. She's dressed in a red two piece, her hair tied back and a whistle on around her neck. She reminds Finn of that old show with all the lifeguard chicks, Burt likes to watch, not that Finn tells her _that_.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" She asks as she leans against him, her eyes still train on all the children in the water, "Do you want to go to movie night? Or find something _else_ to do."

Finn chuckles at her suggestive words, "I think you like doing it more that I do, and that's saying something."

"Are you saying you don't enjoy sex with me?" Rachel counters, taking her eyes off the lake for one second to send him a look.

"Of course not." He says quickly, and frowns when Rachel laughs wholeheartedly at his expense, "Hey! You can't joke about these things Rach!"

"You are such a _boy_." Rachel teases, kissing his cheek before turning her focus back on the people around them, "But in all seriousness, what do you want to do? Mary was talking about some of the counsellors were planning on getting together in 5F to have a party, well not a _party, _but just to hang out and stuff."

"Is Chelsea going as well?" Finn asks about Rachel's _other_ roommate.

Rachel turns to him again, her eyes twinkling, "She is."

They both exchange grins, and he squeezes her bare thigh, "So we're hanging out in your cabin tonight then?"

Rachel giggles, "I guess we are."

"There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about." Finn confesses, knowing now is not the best time to get into it, but also he needs to tell and he doesn't want to blindside her too much when they get together later.

"What about?" She asks curiously, her eyes still lighting up with mischief, "I'm sorry I don't have any more of those flavoured condoms."

Finn laughs, they are lucky they _both_ thought to bring condoms, cause there is no where he could go to buy some, they should really be careful, at the rate they are going, they'll run out before the end of the summer and that would _suck_.

"Not that, something else."

To his surprise Rachel, doesn't ask what, but she actually looks at him slightly guilty, "I...uh...I have something to tell you too, and I kinda have been putting it off, cause we've been having so much fun together, I didn't want to put a damper on our summer but...I..."

He turns to completely face her, his eyebrows knit together in worry, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I have to leave camp earlier than expected." Rachel confesses, "A week early. Daddy needs me home to pack, remember I told you they were thinking about moving? Well everything was finalized right before I left so, I started packing, but I know they need me more to unpack all my stuff. Papa wants me to be settled into my new room before the school year starts."

"Oh." Finn says in shock, he know it's only a week, but their time is so limited already, on seeing her guilty expression he squeezes her thigh, "Is the house closer to your school at least? You always say you hate the drive to school because it's so far."

"It's definitely closer." Rachel says with a smile, "You're not mad? I know I should have told you earlier, but I was so wrapped up in us and everything..."

"Hey...it's okay. It sucks yea, but we'll make the best of it right? We always do." Finn says kissing her softly in reassurance.

They pull back when they hear giggles, and just to the right of the dock is a group of 10 year old girls looking at them and giggling. Finn cheeks redden, yea getting caught making out with his girlfriend when she's on duty or whatever won't look good.

"So what did _you_ have to tell me?" Rachel asks, her cheeks still red, as she casts the girls a look, before returning her focus on the lake.

"I want to go New York with you." He blurts out, his eyes wide, this was _not_ how he was planning on telling her.

"You mean you want to visit me when I'm in New York?" She tries to clarify, and he can hear the edge in her tone without having to look at her expression, he knows she's upset

"I want to move to New York with you, after high school." Finn confesses.

"What about football?" Rachel asks incredulously, finally turning to look at him her eyes blazing, "You _love_ football. You've been working towards this for three _years_. You told me your coach says you practically have the scholarship! It's OSU Finn. They are one of the top college football teams. You can't throw that way."

"But I love you and I want to be with you." Finn protests, not liking the way she's dismissing his suggestion. It's _his_ decision.

"I love you too Finn, but I can't let you do this."

"_Let_ me? It's my decision whether or not I got to OSU!" He almost shouts.

"Finn, please don't give up your future for me." Rachel says softly, taking his hand in hers, but he pulls it away in anger.

"But you _are_ my future don't you see that?" Finn says desperately, "I love you Rachel and I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too. We can still make it work Finn," Rachel points out, "I don't want you making plans right now, not when you still have the rest of the year to decide. Don't throw away your future."

"Wanting to be with you, for more than two months in a year, is _throwing_ away my future?" He asks incredulously.

"No. Of course not, what I'm saying is. We'll figure it out and..."

"I don't want us to _find_ a way to be together." Finn says stubbornly, "I want us to be together. Me coming to New York with you solves that."

"Not when you have a full scholarship to OSU!" Rachel points out stubbornly, "Finn I know it would be hard, but we've figured it out so far, we can..."

"This is our last summer together Rachel! I thought we both wanted the same things. But I guess not."

With that said he gets to his feet and walks off, ignoring Rachel's calls and knowing she can't follow him because she's currently on duty and would be for another three hours. He's so angry at her for not even wanting to _discuss_ it with him ask him what plans he had _anything_. She just wanted to make the choice for him.

Finn growls in frustrations stomping into his cabin a few minutes later collapsing on his bed, he hates this. He hates fighting with Rachel and he hates the fact that in a few weeks he doesn't even know when he'll see her again. These summer vacations have always been a sure thing, a safety net, that they will see each other. The reality that it will soon be over and they won't have that is slowly sinking in, he's beginning to wonder if their relationship would even last with them living in two different states, and he hates the fact that Rachel doesn't even seem concerned about it.

"Finn."

He's awoken to her soft voice and he can feel the way his bed dips where she's sitting. He opens his eyes squinting at her, as his eyes adjust to the darkness. How long was he asleep for? Rachel is now dressed in her pyjamas her unzipped hoodie over her tank top, she's biting her lip looking at her nervously.

"Rach?" He asks unnecessary his voice still laden with sleep as he sits up and notices that the rest of the cabin is empty, so it can't be _too_ late if Sam and Matt aren't there.

"I couldn't just go to sleep knowing that you're angry at me." Rachel says quickly, and putting her hand on his knee before he can say more, "I'm sorry. But you know how much I love you, how much I want to be with you and it's because I love you I can't...I _don't_ want you to give up on your dreams for me. I would _love_ for you to come to New York and we live together but not at the expense of you giving up your dreams. I could never ask you to give up your dreams for me, anymore than you can ask me to do the same. Which is how it is supposed to be. We'll make it work, New York is only about an hour flight from Ohio, we have weekends, holidays and we'll always have summers. Just because we aren't coming back _here_ anymore doesn't mean we won't be together for summer. We'll make it work. You're my best friend Finn and you'd be silly to think for even a second that I'll let you go."

Finn looks at her with wide eyes, it's been a while since he's been privy to a Rachel Berry monologue, and after listening to her little speech he feels terrible for even doubting her from before. It's clear from her speech she's thought about their future as well. She _is_ Rachel Berry after all, one thing she is, is being prepared. He has no doubts she looked up flights to and from Ohio and New York. She wants this just as much as he does.

He takes her hands and kisses her softly before pulling back grinning at her surprised expression, "Okay. You're right."

"That's it?" She asks in disbelief.

"I over reacted. "He admits sheepishly, "I was probably more upset that you're leaving earlier and freaking out that this is our last summer, and you know this bubble we created here, it's almost over. But what I forgot was just because we won't be coming back to camp anymore doesn't mean that our relationship is going to be over. It's going to be hard has hell, but I was able to visit you for New Years Eve, I'm sure we can work something out again and like you said New York _is_ only an hour flight away which is much cheaper than flying to San Diego all the time. Which we can totally do until you move to New York. Like you said, we'll figure it out together."

"Yes." Rachel says with an unease smile, that Finn can't decipher.

Finn frowns immediately picking up on her mood, "What? What's that look for?"

"What look?" She asks innocently.

"You look...' But he never gets to finish because she's suddenly crawling into his lap and attaching her lips to his, tugging off his t-shirt.

"We have just about two hours till your roommates come back." She says coyly, as she shrugs off her hoodie, "I think..."

But this time he cuts _her_ off because why waste the little time they have talking, he'll ask her about that later.

He never remembers to ask her, no big surprise there. Rachel does have a _very_ good way of distracting him.

They spend the rest of the summer together like they always do (with the added bonus of sex of course) He tries to make plans for the school year, when he he'll get to visit her and stuff, but she keeps distracting with sex, and Finn can't complain about that. To Finn's great displeasure the summer comes to an end much quicker than he would like, but what surprises him even more though is how much Rachel is _not_ disappointed.

When it's time for her to leave, he doesn't want to let her go, he probably kisses her more times than he could count and _she's_ the one comforting him, telling him that they'll be okay.

They both agreed they would talk about their future plans later, but one thing that's for sure is that they will get together before the end of the year. Finn asks her if he can visit her for her birthday, and she simply tells him that its a great idea. Usually something _this_ big like their birthdays ( something neither of them have _ever_ been able to celebrate together) she would have been already planning everything, but she simply said it would be _great_.

Finn can't help but wonder if something is up especially now, when he's saying goodbye and _she's_ comforting him, with promises of texting and Facetime (Thank god for iPhones) but she's not upset in the slightest, or not nearly as much as he thought she would be.

She _does_ cry when she has to say goodbye to their friends though and her roommates and he's there to comfort her. When she leaves he's left there wondering what exactly is going on with her and also what he's suppose to do a whole week at camp without her. But then she texts him and they spend that week much like they do when he's back in Ohio anyway.

Leaving camp was not as nearly as hard as he thought it would be, and he thinks it's because he's grown out of camp and that at one point camp just represented the time he spent with Rachel, so it's no wonder when he says goodbye the final time to everyone, he's not as upset as he thought he would be, because he knows he's not saying goodbye to Rachel. Maybe that's why Rachel was able to leave so easily as well. He was saying goodbye to camp, but not goodbye to her.

* * *

><p>On the first day of senior year, he's walking down the corridor, his head in his phone, frowning at the little green app and the fact that he's yet to get his 'Happy First day of school' text he <em>always<em> gets from Rachel, its cheesy but he likes them anyway. In fact the entire week he's been home Rachel has been slightly evasive and just not herself. Sure she's shown him every inch of her new room, including the collage of pictures of the two of them she made, he really needs to get a copy of that. But when he asks her about the neighbourhood and more about her new house she goes back to being evasive.

He makes a mental not to call her tonight and make sure that she's okay. He's on autopilot as he moves to his locker, putting away his books, he doesn't even hear when someone walks up next to him, till the person talks and he drops his stuff in shock at the all too familiar voice.

"Happy first day of school baby!"

He turns around, his fallen books forgotten, when he sees _Rachel_ standing in front of him, dressed in a little pink dress, a _school_ bag over her shoulders, and the brightest smile in the world.

Finn is speechless as he gapes at her.

"Surprise!" Rachel says brightly, giggling as she jumps into his arms to hug him and kiss him briefly on the lips.

Finn has yet to move, his jaw hanging open, "Is this a trick?"

Rachel laughs wholeheartedly, bending down to pick up his fallen books and sticking them in his locker, "No, silly. Remember I told you I was moving?"

"I thought you meant _houses_ not _states_." Finn says incredulously still wrapping his mind around the fact that she's standing there.

Rachel giggles again, "I never specified. Papa got a pediatric fellowship offer at one of the hospitals here. Last year when I visited you, it wasn't just for you, we came to check out some houses as well as the hospital here."

"You moved to Lima?" Finn asks stupidly, "You're going to school here? You _live_ here?"

"Yes to all over the above!" Rachel says brightly and jumping in his arms again, and this time Finn at least responds by wrapping his arms around her.

"You're in Lima." He repeats his eyes wide, "You're in _Lima_!"

He then cups the back of her head and kisses her deeply, putting all his emotions into it. He's so lost in the familiar feel of her lips against his, the way her nails dig into his shoulders and she gasps against her mouth, he doesn't hear someone approaching them, until they call out to him.

"Yo Hudson!"

Both he and Rachel pull back, and turn to look at the person the voice belongs to, only to be greeted with a ice cold slushie in their faces.

"No making out in the hallway frankenteen!" A new voice taunts, Finn wipes the sweet sticky fluid out of his eyes to see Santana smirking at him, Quinn at her side shaking her head in a tsk sort of fashion. "You know the rules."

"Rules?" Rachel splutters in shock as she wipes the slushie out of her own eyes.

"Welcome to McKinely." Finn says dryly as the cheerleaders walk off laughing at their expense.

He silently takes her hand and ushers her out of the crowed hallway and to the nearest locker room, locking the door after they enter. This is _not_ how he wanted her to find out about the insanity that goes on at McKinely, but the fact that she's here with him at his school is all that matters to him.

He has his best friend.

* * *

><p><strong><em>THE END<em>**

Reviews are love ;)


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